GhArticles.com Every News in Detail
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has extradited Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian on its Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, from Ghana to the United States. Kayode faces charges of fraud and conspiracy linked to a sophisticated business email compromise (BEC) scheme that defrauded businesses of over $6 million between January 2015 and September 2016.
Kayode was apprehended in Ghana in April 2023 at the request of U.S. authorities. His indictment, initially filed in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2019, accuses him and his accomplices of impersonating corporate executives through spoofed emails to deceive employees into authorizing fraudulent wire transfers. The stolen funds were funneled into accounts controlled by Kayode, which were often tied to victims of romance scams.
Kayode appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson on December 11, 2024, where he was ordered to remain in custody pending trial.
The scheme has already led to the conviction of several accomplices:
- Adewale Aniyeloye: Sentenced to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay over $1.5 million in restitution.
- Pelumi Fawehinimi: Received a 72-month sentence for facilitating fraudulent bank accounts.
- Onome Ijomone: Extradited from Poland, sentenced to 60 months for involvement in romance scams.
- Alex Ogunshakin: Extradited from Nigeria, sentenced to 45 months for his role in the scheme.
FBI Special Agent Eugene Kowel reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to apprehending the remaining four fugitives involved, praising the Ghanaian authorities for their cooperation in Kayode’s extradition.
While the indictment outlines severe allegations, Kayode remains innocent until proven guilty in court.
