A 37-year-old Nigerian man, Abiola Kayode, was extradited to the United States to face charges related to a large-scale cyber fraud operation. Kayode, who had been featured on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminals list, was arrested in Ghana in April 2023 and later transferred to the U.S. authorities.

On December 11, 2024, Kayode appeared in court for the first time after being indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a scheme that spanned from 2015 to 2016. He has been accused of helping facilitate a $6 million business email compromise (BEC) operation that targeted multiple companies. Kayode allegedly assisted in the operation by providing bank accounts used to funnel the stolen funds.

The BEC scheme involved scammers impersonating company executives through fake emails, deceiving employees into wiring large sums of money. Victims of romance scams were also reportedly exploited, with their bank accounts being used to launder the proceeds of the fraud.

Kayode’s extradition marks a significant step in the investigation, with several of his co-conspirators already convicted. Sentences for those convicted range from 45 to 96 months. However, several others are still on the run.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge, Eugene Kowel, emphasized the ongoing commitment to dismantling cyber-criminal operations. “Today, we take another step in bringing those responsible for this devastating fraud to justice,” Kowel said. “The FBI, in partnership with our international law enforcement counterparts, will continue to pursue these criminals wherever they hide.”

Kayode will remain in detention pending trial. The FBI’s efforts to combat Business Email Compromise and other fraud schemes continue, with collaboration between U.S. authorities and their Ghanaian counterparts playing a crucial role in Kayode’s capture.

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