A 37-year-old Nigerian, Abiola Kayode, previously listed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, has been extradited from Ghana to Nebraska, United States, following charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud filed in August 2019.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska announced on Thursday that Kayode was apprehended by Ghanaian authorities in April 2023.
After a formal extradition request by the U.S., he was handed over to FBI agents who transported him to Nebraska.
Kayode appeared in court on December 11, 2024, before United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson, who ordered his detention pending trial.
He faces allegations of involvement in a Business Email Compromise scheme that defrauded businesses in Nebraska and beyond of over $6 million between January 2015 and September 2016.
According to investigators, the scheme involved impersonating company executives to deceive employees into authorizing fraudulent wire transfers.
The fraudulent emails appeared legitimate and directed businesses to send money to accounts controlled by Kayode and his associates.
Authorities also claim that Kayode provided bank account details for moving the stolen funds, many of which came from victims of internet romance scams manipulated into facilitating further transfers.
Several of Kayode’s alleged co-conspirators have already faced justice. In February 2019, Adewale Aniyeloye received a sentence of 96 months and was ordered to pay $1.57 million in restitution.
In March 2019, Pelumi Fawehinimi was sentenced to 72 months in prison with restitution of $1.01 million. Onome Ijomone, extradited from Poland, was sentenced in January 2020 to 60 months with restitution of $508,934.
Most recently, Alex Ogunshakin, who provided bank accounts for the scheme, was extradited from Nigeria and sentenced to 45 months in October 2024.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel stated, “Four years ago, we identified six Nigerian nationals suspected of defrauding individual victims and businesses in Nebraska and other states of millions of dollars. Today, Abiola Kayode is the second of those co-conspirators to be extradited to stand trial in Nebraska. Our message to the remaining four co-conspirators; we are coming for you. Dismantling cyber-criminal groups that victimize U.S. citizens is a priority for the FBI, DOJ, and our international law enforcement partners.”
Kowel further commended the collaboration with Ghanaian authorities, adding, “The FBI, working together with our partners in Ghana, particularly the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Ghana Police Service – INTERPOL, and the Ghana Immigration Service, will continue to pursue and bring to justice criminals who engage in Business Email Compromise and other fraud schemes.”
