A Nigerian man identified only as Kelly has been implicated in the conviction of a 59-year-old Australian grandmother, Donna Nelson, who is serving a six-year prison sentence in Japan for drug smuggling.
According to the Daily Mail, Nelson, from Perth, Western Australia, was arrested at Narita International Airport near Tokyo after customs officials discovered two kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in her luggage. She was convicted by a Japanese court in December 2024.
Investigations revealed that Nelson met Kelly online in 2020. He allegedly presented himself as a Nigerian fashion entrepreneur and promised to marry her.
In 2023, he reportedly sponsored her trip to Japan via Laos, instructing her to collect dress samples from one of his associates in Southeast Asia.
However, Kelly failed to appear after her arrival in Japan. Nelson was later detained when airport officials found the drugs in a tampered suitcase.
Throughout her trial, Nelson maintained her innocence, insisting she was unaware of the narcotics and believed she was assisting her fiancé’s business.
Her defence team argued that she had fallen victim to a romance scam.
After losing her appeal at the Tokyo High Court in September 2025, Nelson’s daughter, Ashlee Charles, said the family would not pursue further legal action.
“She’s ending the fight against her conviction and will apply to serve her sentence in Australia under the international prisoner transfer process,” Charles told the Australian Associated Press.
Kelly’s whereabouts remain unknown, and Japanese authorities have yet to confirm whether efforts are being made to locate him.