Breaking News: Nigerian Man Extradited to US for $7.5 Million Fraud

In a significant move for justice, Olusegun Samson Adejorin, a Nigerian national, has been extradited to the United States to face serious federal charges in connection with an elaborate fraud scheme totaling $7.5 million. This development follows his arrest in Ghana on December 29, 2023, just days before a federal indictment was unsealed against him.

Background of the Indictment

An eight-count federal grand jury indictment was made public on January 2, 2024, charging Adejorin with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer. The indictment outlines a sophisticated scheme in which, between June and August 2020, Adejorin allegedly defrauded two charitable organizations: Victim 1, based in North Bethesda, Maryland, and Victim 2, located in New York City.

According to the indictment, Adejorin gained unauthorized access to employee email accounts at both organizations and impersonated employees to initiate fraudulent financial transactions. He is accused of posing as an employee from Victim 2 to request withdrawals of funds from Victim 1, which provided investment services to Victim 2.

Extradition Process

Following his arrest in Ghana, Adejorin was detained pending legal proceedings there. On August 30, 2024, he was extradited to the United States, where he faced his initial court appearance. This extradition was a collaboration between several law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Ghanaian authorities, highlighting the international effort to bring Adejorin to justice.

Allegations of Fraudulent Activity

The indictment claims that Adejorin fraudulently obtained login credentials from employees at both Victim 1 and Victim 2. He allegedly sent emails from these accounts, making false requests for the withdrawal of investment funds. As part of the scheme, he reportedly purchased a credential harvesting tool designed to steal email credentials and created spoofed domain names to disguise his activities.

The indictment states that, through these fraudulent withdrawal requests, Adejorin succeeded in diverting more than $7.5 million from Victim 2’s funds, transferring them to accounts that did not belong to the charitable organization.

Potential Sentencing and Legal Proceedings

If convicted, Adejorin faces severe penalties: up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of wire fraud, a maximum of five years for unauthorized access to a protected computer, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for each of the two counts of aggravated identity theft. Additional penalties may apply for knowingly falsifying domain registrations.

As Adejorin's legal proceedings unfold, this case exemplifies the international cooperation in addressing complex fraud schemes.