A 40-year-old man who fled the country some weeks ago has been returned to Malta and will be charged with money laundering in connection with a romance fraud scam. 

The man, who is Nigerian and lived in St Paul's Bay, was arrested in the UK through an International Arrest Warrant issued by the Malta police.

He is expected to be arraigned in court on Wednesday morning and will be charged with money laundering and receiving stolen goods.

The arrest builds on a romance fraud racket exposed last year, through which alleged fraudsters would strike up fake virtual relationships with their victims and then trick them into sending them thousands of euro.  

At least six people were charged with romance fraud in 2021.