The “Nigerian prince” letter, one of the better-known frauds, is often perpetrated by mysterious figures. But the police in Louisiana say they’ve put a face and a name to a man and charged him with more than 200 counts related to the scheme.

The man, identified as Michael Neu, 67, of Slidell, La., is suspected of being the middle man in hundreds of financial transactions designed to con money from victims across the United States by phone and online, with some of that money wired to co-conspirators in Nigeria, Detective Daniel Seuzeneau of the Slidell Police Department said in a statement.

The 18-month investigation is continuing but is “extremely difficult as many leads have led to individuals who live outside of the United States,” the statement said.

Mr. Neu, who was charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering, was being held on Sunday at St. Tammany Parish Jail in Covington, La. It was unclear whether he had a lawyer.