Nigerian Ridwan Adepoju sentenced to 43 months jail, apart from 5 other Nigerians who got a combined 159 years in prison for similar crimes
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Ridwan Adepoju, a Nigerian, has been sentenced to 43 months in prison by a United States District court for participating in fraudulent schemes that targeted several Americans and businesses.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in a statement which said Adepoju, alongside co-conspirators, operated the fraudulent schemes that included phishing, romance scams and submission of fraudulent tax returns obtained in Nigeria.
The announcement comes on the heels of the imprisonment last week of five other Nigerians in the US who carried out similar fraudulent activities that cost individuals, corporate entities, and the government $17 million.
The DOJ recounted that Adepoju had moved to the United Kingdom where he was arrested and extradited to the US in 2024.
Upon his extradition and indictment, he pleaded guilty in March 2025 to counts involving federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
“A foreign national has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for conducting a variety of cyber fraud schemes that victimised U.S. citizens and businesses,” the statement said.
“Ridwan Adeleke Adepoju and co-schemers operated multiple fraud schemes from Nigeria, including phishing scams, romance scams, and the submission of fraudulent tax returns.
“The scams involved multiple spoofed email addresses, fictional social media personas, and unwitting money mules.
“Adepoju’s schemes victimised numerous U.S. citizens and businesses, including individuals and companies in the Chicago area. Adepoju, 33, of Lagos, Nigeria, was arrested last year in the United Kingdom and extradited to the United States.
“He pleaded guilty in March to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly imposed a 43-month prison sentence.”
Last week, a US court sentenced five other Nigerians to a combined 159 years jail for defrauding more than 100 Americans as well as companies and government entities of $17 million.
Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Ray Combs, announced the sentencing in a statement that named the convicts as Damilola Kumapayi, Sandra Iribhogbe, Edgal Iribhogbe, Chidindu Okeke and Chiagoziem Okeke, were part of a transnational organised crime group.
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