Nigerian man extradited from South Africa to U.S for business email compromise fraud scheme

 

A 42-year-old Nigerian national, Afeez Akinloye, has been extradited from South Africa to the District of Nebraska, the United States on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and access device fraud filed in July 2018.

Acting United States Attorney, Susan Lehr, announced the extradition in a press release on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

The United States requested Akinloye’s extradition in November 2021, and South African authorities arrested him based on the U.S. request in September 2022.

Subsequently, a South African court ordered his extradition in May 2023, and the Minister of Justice ordered his surrender in September.

In coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South African authorities ultimately surrendered Akinloye to the United States on December 8, 2023.

Akinloye had an initial appearance on the Indictment on December 12, 2023.

United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered Akinloye remain detained pending trial.

The Indictment charges Akinloye with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section, 1349 and with access device fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029.

It is alleged that Akinloye participated in a business email compromise (BEC) scheme from September 2016 to June 2017.

The BEC scheme involved real estate transactions. Akinloye and his co-conspirators would learn of a real estate transaction closing and send fraudulent emails to have the wire proceeds wired to accounts they could access.

As a result of this scheme, business in Nebraska and elsewhere were defrauded of over $1,850,000.

Akinloye is the first of the co-conspirators to appear on the Indictment.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Akinloye.