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Fraud

Nigerian Citizen Arrested in UK on Extradition Request to Face Charges of Wire and Computer Fraud

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the arrest of Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, a Nigerian citizen residing in the United Kingdom, in connection with a wire fraud and computer fraud scheme targeting a Western Pennsylvania construction company and a university in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Adepoju allegedly used sophisticated cyber means to access the construction company's email account and send fraudulent emails to the university, resulting in a payment of approximately $235,266.80 to a fraudulent bank account.

Key Takeaways:

  • Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, a Nigerian citizen residing in the United Kingdom, was arrested on September 15, 2025, by UK authorities pursuant to a US request for extradition.
  • Adepoju is charged with seven counts of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud in connection with a scheme targeting a Western Pennsylvania construction company and a university in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
  • Between March 2023 and April 2023, Adepoju allegedly accessed the construction company's email account, created rule changes, and registered a spoofed domain and email account to assume the identity of another employee.
  • Adepoju used the spoofed email account to send fraudulent emails to the university, requesting updates to the construction company's payment information, resulting in a payment of approximately $235,266.80 to a fraudulent bank account.
  • Adepoju faces a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud offenses and up to five years in prison for the computer fraud offense.
  • The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Pittsburgh Field Office, with significant assistance provided by the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs.
  • Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting the case, with Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton Maday leading the prosecution in the United States.

Statistics:

  • $235,266.80: The amount of money sent to a fraudulent bank account as a result of Adepoju's scheme.
  • 7: The number of counts of wire fraud charges against Adepoju.
  • 1: The number of counts of computer fraud charges against Adepoju.
  • 20: The maximum years in prison for each of the wire fraud offenses.
  • 5: The maximum years in prison for the computer fraud offense.

Sources:

  • United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Department of Justice (DOJ)
  • United Kingdom authorities
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation's Pittsburgh Field Office
  • Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs

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