The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the extradition of Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, from Ghana to the District of Nebraska, United States (US).
New Telegraph gathered that Abiola Kayode was extradited to face charges related to a $6 million cyber fraud scheme.
Kayode, listed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminals, is accused of participating in a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme that defrauded businesses between January 2015 and September 2016.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, Susan Lehr, announced the development in a statement on Thursday.
According to court filings, the BEC scheme targeted businesses in Nebraska and other locations, tricking employees into transferring funds through spoofed emails impersonating company executives.
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Kayode was arrested in Ghana in April 2023 following a U.S. extradition request, which Ghanaian authorities approved.
FBI special agents escorted him to the U.S., where he appeared before Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson on December 11, 2024.
He has been ordered to remain in detention pending trial.
The indictment alleges that Kayode worked alongside co-conspirators who created fake email accounts to deceive business employees into wiring funds.
He reportedly provided bank account information to facilitate the fraudulent transactions, with many of the accounts belonging to victims of internet romance scams.
Several of Kayode’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced.
Adewale Aniyeloye was sentenced to 96 months in prison in February 2019, with restitution of $1,570,938.05.
Pelumi Fawehinimi received 72 months in March 2019, with a restitution of $1,014,159.60.
Onome Ijomone, extradited from Poland, was sentenced to 60 months in January 2020, with restitution of $508,934.40.
Alex Ogunshakin, extradited from Nigeria, was sentenced to 45 months in October 2024.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel emphasized the agency’s commitment to dismantling cybercriminal networks, stating, “We are coming for you,” addressing the four remaining fugitives tied to the case.
This high-profile operation highlights the collaborative efforts between U.S. and Ghanaian authorities, including the Ghana Police Service INTERPOL, Ghana Immigration Service, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, in combating cybercrime and holding perpetrators accountable.
