Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian, has been extradited to the U.S. to face charges in a $6 million cyber fraud scheme. Kayode allegedly assisted in a business email compromise (BEC) scam between 2015-2016, providing bank accounts for fraudulent transactions. He was arrested in Ghana and faces trial in Nebraska.
Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian man, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to a $6 million cyber fraud. Kayode, who had been on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, was arrested in Ghana in April 2023. He was later handed over to the FBI and taken to the District of Nebraska for trial.
Kayode is accused of participating in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme between 2015 and 2016. In this scheme, fraudsters impersonated company executives through spoofed emails to trick employees into wiring large sums of money to fraudulent accounts. Kayode allegedly assisted by providing the bank accounts used to facilitate the scam.
The fraud ring also reportedly used victims of romance scams to launder money through their accounts. Several of Kayode’s co-conspirators have already been convicted, with sentences ranging from 45 to 96 months in prison. Some co-conspirators remain at large.
FBI Omaha Special Agent Eugene Kowel stated that the extradition marks a significant step in dismantling cybercriminal groups targeting U.S. citizens. He reaffirmed the commitment of the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, and international law enforcement partners to continue pursuing and bringing such criminals to justice.
Kayode had his first court appearance on December 11, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson, who ordered that he remain detained until his trial. The investigation involved cooperation with Ghana’s legal and law enforcement authorities.
