A 37-year-old Nigerian, Abiola Kayode, has been extradited to the District of Nebraska in the United States to face charges related to a Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud indictment filed in 2019.
Kayode, who was listed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, was arrested in Ghana in April 2023. He was handed over to FBI special agents and transported to the U.S., where he made an initial appearance on the charges on December 11, 2024. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered Kayode to remain in custody pending trial.
Kayode is accused of participating in a $6 million Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme between 2015 and 2016. The scheme involved co-conspirators impersonating company executives through spoofed emails to trick employees into wiring funds. Additionally, victims of romance scams were allegedly exploited to launder money through their accounts.
According to investigators, Kayode provided bank accounts that were instrumental in facilitating the fraudulent activities. Several co-conspirators in the scheme have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 45 to 96 months, while others remain at large.
In a statement, Eugene Kowel, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge, emphasized the agency’s determination to dismantle cybercriminal networks.
“Four years ago, we identified six Nigerian nationals suspected of defra¥ding individual victims and businesses in Nebraska and other states of millions of dollars. Today, Abiola Kayode is the second of those co-conspirators to be extradited to stand trial in Nebraska,” Kowel said.
He added a stern warning to the remaining suspects: “Our message to the remaining four co-conspirators; we are coming for you. Dismantling cyber-criminal groups that victimize U.S. citizens is a priority for the FBI, DOJ, and our international law enforcement partners.”
The statement also highlighted the collaboration between the FBI and Ghanaian authorities, including the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Ghana Police Service – INTERPOL, and the Ghana Immigration Service, in securing Kayode’s extradition.
