Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian previously placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, has been extradited from Ghana to the United States to face charges related to a massive $6 million wire fraud operation. Kayode, who was indicted in 2019, is accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud through business email compromise (BEC) and romance scams between January 2015 and September 2016.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, Susan Lehr, confirmed Kayode’s extradition following his arrest by the Ghanaian authorities in April 2023. His arrest was the culmination of an extensive international effort, as Ghana granted the U.S. request for his extradition, paving the way for Kayode’s arrival in Nebraska.
The wire fraud scheme, which began in 2015, targeted businesses across the District of Nebraska and beyond, swindling them out of over $6 million. The perpetrators used forged email accounts designed to mimic legitimate business executives, deceiving employees into processing fraudulent wire transfers. Kayode is believed to have provided bank account information that facilitated the movement of the stolen funds, much of which was funneled through internet romance scams, where victims were tricked into sending money.
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Kayode’s co-conspirators have already faced justice. Adewale Aniyeloye was sentenced to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.57 million in restitution in February 2019. Pelumi Fawehinimi received a 72-month sentence and $1.01 million in restitution in March 2019, while Onome Ijomone, extradited from Poland, was sentenced to 60 months in January 2020. More recently, Alex Ogunshakin was sentenced to 45 months in October 2024 after being extradited from Nigeria for his role in supplying bank accounts used in the fraudulent scheme.
Kayode appeared in court for his initial hearing on December 11, 2024, where Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered his detention pending trial. His extradition and the ongoing legal proceedings highlight the growing international efforts to combat cybercrime and bring perpetrators to justice.
