A Nigerian man appeared in Nebraska court in the US during the week to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Abiola Kayode, 37, was extradited to Nebraska from Ghana to face charges. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered Kayode to remain in jail until his next court appearance, according to documents.
Kayode was on the ‘FBIs Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List at the time of his arrest in April 223. He then surrendered and was brought to Bebraska.
Authorities said that he provided bank information from victims who were directed via fraudulent emails to wire money to accounts he and others controlled. Most of the victims were preyed upon using internet romance scams.
An indictment was filed in August 2019 in Omaha, according to the documents.
Authorities allege that he was part of a scheme from January 2015 to September 2016 which defrauded Nebraska businesses of more than $6 million.
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“Four years ago, we identified six Nigerian nationals suspected of defrauding individual victims and businesses in Nebraska and other states of millions of dollars,” FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said in a news release.
“Today, Abiola Kayode is the second of those co-conspirators to be extradited to stand trial in Nebraska.”
The indictment shows that suspects posed as the CEO, president, owner, and other executives of the company. Those receiving emails from the group were tricked into completing wire transfers.
“Using e-mail accounts spoofed to make it appear as though they were from the company’s true business executive, Kayode’s co-conspirators directed business employees or recipients of the e-mail to complete wire transfers,” the release states.
Authorities believe that Kayode provided bank account information that largely belonged to victims of internet romance scams, according to documents.
Three others involved in the scam have already been convicted and sentenced, the release states.
Alex Ogunshakin was also extradited from Nigeria. He provided bank accounts for the scheme, and was sentenced to 45 months in prison in October 2024.
Onome Ijomone was extradited from Poland. He acted as a romance scammer, and was sentenced in January 2020 to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $508,934.40 in restitution.
Pelumi Fawehinimi, who facilitated the bank accounts, was sentenced in March 2019 to 72 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,014,159.60 in restitution.
Adewale Aniyeloye, who sent spoofed e-mails to the target business, was sentenced in February 2019 to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,570,938.05 in restitution.
“Other co-conspirators remain at large,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in the update.
The case has been investigated by the FBI as well as the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Ghana Police Service, Interpol, and the Ghana Immigration Service. The DOJ Office of International Affairs assisted in the extradition.
