Nigerian Abiola Kayode extradited to US from Ghana for alleged $6m cyber fraud
By Jeffrey Agbo
Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian listed as one of the FBI’s most wanted cybercriminals, has been extradited from Ghana to the United States to face charges linked to a $6 million business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska confirmed that Ghanaian authorities arrested Kayode in April 2023. After a formal extradition request, he was handed over to FBI agents and flown to Nebraska. On December 11, 2024, Kayode appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson, who ordered his detention pending trial.
Kayode is accused of orchestrating a BEC scheme between January 2015 and September 2016. The scheme involved impersonating business executives to trick employees into transferring large sums of money into fraudulent accounts controlled by Kayode and his associates. Authorities say the operation defrauded businesses in Nebraska and other U.S. states of over $6 million.
Investigators allege that Kayode provided banking details to facilitate the transfer of stolen funds. Many of the accounts used were tied to victims of internet romance scams, who were manipulated into further transferring the money.
Kayode’s extradition follows the successful prosecution of several of his co-conspirators, who were convicted as part of an ongoing crackdown on cyber fraud.
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Adewale Aniyeloye was sentenced to 96 months in February 2019, with $1.57 million in restitution.
Pelumi Fawehinimi was sentenced to 72 months in March 2019, with $1.01 million in restitution.
Onome Ijomone was extradited from Poland and sentenced to 60 months in January 2020, with $508,934 in restitution.
Alex Ogunshakin was extradited from Nigeria and sentenced to 45 months in October 2024.
Speaking in a statement, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Four years ago, we identified six Nigerian nationals suspected of defrauding 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. 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 FBI, working together with our partners in Ghana, particularly the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, the Ghana Police Service – INTERPOL, and the Ghana Immigration Service, will continue to pursue and bring to justice criminals who engage in Business Email Compromise and other fraud schemes.”
