U.S. Court Jails Nigerian for $2m Fraud, Orders Deportation After Sentence
The United States Department of Justice has announced the conviction and sentencing of Nigerian national Oluwaseun Adekoya, who will be deported upon completion of a 20‑year prison term for his role in a sophisticated $2 million fraud scheme.
Adekoya, who had obtained U.S. permanent resident status, was convicted after a three‑week trial of bank fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, nine counts of aggravated identity theft.
He was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, who described him as a “perpetual thief and flagrant serial offender.”
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Adekoya operated from a luxury apartment in New Jersey, using encrypted platforms such as Telegram to obtain Social Security numbers, account details, and other personal identifiers of individuals with substantial home equity lines of credit.
It further revealed that Adekoya supplied this information, along with forged driver’s licences, to a nationwide network of operatives who impersonated customers and withdrew funds.
He used burner phones and layered bank accounts in third‑party names to launder proceeds and reinvested illicit gains into expanding the scheme, financing travel, rental cars, and false identification for co‑conspirators.
The scheme was uncovered in May 2022 when a federal credit union detected impersonation transactions and alerted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Adekoya was arrested in December 2023 after the FBI traced the fraud to his residence.
During the search, he attempted to wipe his primary phone but agents seized multiple burner phones, luxury items including Rolex watches, a $51,000 Tiffany engagement ring, designer goods, and approximately $26,000 in a laundering account—all forfeited to the government.
“In sentencing Adekoya, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino noted that Adekoya is a perpetual thief and a flagrant serial offender who has orchestrated increasingly sophisticated felony identity-theft and fraud offences since he started his criminal career in 2008 at the age of 22.
“As part of Adekoya’s sentence, he will also be required to serve five years of supervised release and pay restitution of over $2.2 million and a mandatory special assessment of $1,100. He is also subject to removal from the United States upon completion of his term of imprisonment,” the statement added.
Thirteen accomplices were indicted and convicted, including David Daniyan, Kani Bassie, Davon Hunter, Christian Quivers, Jermon Brooks, Akeem Balogun, Victor Barriera, Danielle Cappetti, Jerjuan Joyner, Gaysha Kennedy, Crystal Kurschner, and Sherry Ozmore. All pleaded guilty to related offences.
