UK Arrests Nigerian Man Wanted In US Over $235,000 Cyber Fraud Scheme

A Nigerian man living in the United Kingdom, Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, has been arrested by British authorities at the request of the United States government after being indicted for wire fraud and computer fraud.

According to US prosecutors, Adepoju hacked into the email system of a Pennsylvania construction company working for a university, created fake staff accounts, and diverted payment into a fraudulent account he controlled.

The US Department of Justice said Adepoju, who was arrested on September 15, 2025, is awaiting extradition to face a seven-count indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleged that between March and April 2023, Adepoju remotely accessed the company’s protected computer system, altered email rules, and set up a spoofed domain to send fraudulent payment instructions. Relying on these emails, the university transferred about $235,266 (₦363 million) to Adepoju’s account. The funds have not been recovered.

Acting US Attorney Troy Rivetti said the case shows that cybercriminals cannot hide from the reach of US law enforcement: “Even from halfway across the world, Adepoju was not beyond the investigative reach of the FBI.”

FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge, Kevin Rojek, warned that email compromise crimes remain among the costliest threats businesses and universities face: “We will find you and bring you to justice, no matter where you might be.”

Adepoju faces six counts of wire fraud—each carrying a maximum of 20 years in prison—and one count of computer fraud, which carries up to five years. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.