A Nigerian man, Abiola Kayode, has been extradited from Ghana to the United States to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Kayode, 37, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson at a Nebraska court this week, where he was ordered to remain in custody until his next hearing. Court documents reveal that Kayode was part of a scheme that defrauded Nebraska businesses of over $6 million between January 2015 and September 2016.
Kayode, who had been on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, was arrested in Ghana in April 2023. He later surrendered and was transported to the United States to stand trial. The indictment alleges that he provided bank account details used to siphon funds from victims, many of whom were targeted through internet romance scams. Using spoofed email accounts, Kayode and his accomplices impersonated executives of various companies, tricking employees into authorizing fraudulent wire transfers.
The scheme, which has been under investigation since 2019, involved multiple co-conspirators. Three have already been convicted and sentenced. Pelumi Fawehinimi, who facilitated bank accounts for the fraudulent activities, was sentenced in 2019 to six years in prison and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution. Adewale Aniyeloye, who sent spoofed emails, received an eight-year sentence and was ordered to pay nearly $1.6 million. Onome Ijomone, who posed as a romance scammer, was sentenced to five years and required to pay over $500,000.
Kayode’s extradition marks the second time a member of this scheme has been brought to the U.S. to face trial. In October 2024, Alex Ogunshakin was extradited from Nigeria and sentenced to nearly four years in prison for providing bank accounts used in the fraud. Authorities believe the group exploited weaknesses in online communication to prey on individuals and businesses, causing significant financial losses.
The FBI has worked closely with the Ghana Police Service, Interpol, and other international agencies to apprehend members of the fraud network. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs also played a key role in coordinating the extradition process. Despite these efforts, authorities confirm that other co-conspirators remain at large.
