Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old man of Nigerian descent, has been extradited to the United States from Ghana over alleged $6 million business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
Kayode and his “co-conspirators” were accused of participating in the scheme from January 2015 to September 2016.
In 2020, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) declared Kayode and five others wanted over the alleged fraud.
Other persons declared wanted were Uzuh Richard, Felix Okpoh, Micheal Olorunyomi, Benson Nnamdi and Alex Ogunshakin.
In 2023, Ogunshakin was extradited to the US after the FBI sent an extradition request to the Nigerian government.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the United States Attorney’s Office in the district of Nebraska confirmed Kayode’s extradition from Ghana.
The US government alleged that Kayode “provided bank account information to the co-conspirators who sent the fraudulent e-mails, and which directed business employees to wire money to accounts controlled by Kayode and others”.
“Some of Kayode’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced,” the statement reads.
“Adewale Aniyeloye, one of the fraudsters sending the spoofed e-mails to the target business, was sentenced in February 2019 to 96 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,570,938.05 in restitution.
“Pelumi Fawehinimi, a bank account facilitator, was sentenced in March 2019 to 72 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,014,159.60 in restitution.
“Onome Ijomone, a romance scammer, was sentenced in January 2020 to 60 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $508,934.40 in restitution after his successful extradition from Poland.
“Other co-conspirators remain at large. Alex Ogunshakin, a co-conspirator who provided bank accounts for the scheme, was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment in October 2024 after his successful extradition from Nigeria.”
The US government warned that it would ramp up its pursuit of suspected internet fraudsters.
“Our message to the remaining four co-conspirators; we are coming for you,” the statement added.
“Dismantling cyber-criminal groups that victimize U.S. citizens is a priority for the FBI, DOJ, and our international law enforcement partners.”
