A federal court in the United States of America has convicted Olusegun Adejorin, a 32-year-old Nigerian national, for orchestrating a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme that defrauded two charitable organizations of more than $7.5 million, United States authorities have confirmed.
The conviction was announced by the United States Department of Justice, the federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of United States federal law, following a six-day jury trial held in Maryland, a state in the eastern region of the United States.
Okay News reports that Adejorin was found guilty on multiple criminal counts, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer.
According to federal prosecutors, the crimes were committed between Monday, June 1, 2020, and Monday, August 31, 2020, during which Adejorin deliberately targeted two nonprofit organizations based in Maryland and New York, one of the largest financial and commercial centers in the United States.
Investigators revealed that Adejorin illegally gained access to employee email accounts belonging to the charities. By impersonating legitimate staff members, he manipulated internal communications and financial authorization processes, enabling him to redirect charitable funds into bank accounts that were completely unrelated to the organizations.
Providing official confirmation of the verdict, the Department of Justice stated:
“After a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Olusegun Samson Adejorin, 32, a Nigerian national, of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.
Adejorin was previously extradited from Ghana in connection with the case.”
United States authorities further disclosed that Adejorin registered multiple spoofed internet domain names designed to closely resemble legitimate charity email addresses. These fake domains were used to send fraudulent withdrawal requests from one charity to another. He also unlawfully accessed email systems to falsely confirm these transactions, ultimately causing more than $7.5 million to be transferred out of the charities’ control.
The prosecution team acknowledged the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), particularly the Baltimore Field Office, which played a key role in unraveling the complex cyber trail. United States Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, speaking alongside Jimmy Paul, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office, praised the coordination that led to the successful conviction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Darren S. Gardner.
On sentencing, the Department of Justice explained that Adejorin faces severe penalties under United States federal law. He is liable to a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of wire fraud, up to five years for unauthorized access to a protected computer, and a mandatory two-year prison term for aggravated identity theft, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026, before United States District Judge Theodore D. Chuang, a federal judge serving in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. Prosecutors noted, however, that federal sentences often fall below statutory maximums, as judges are required to consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
The Department of Justice added that the case forms part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating organized crime, cyber fraud, immigration violations, and violent criminal activities across the United States.
