A United States District Court has sentenced a Nigerian national, Ridwan Adepoju, to 43 months in prison for his role in a cyber fraud scheme that targeted American individuals and businesses.
This was made known in a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, which revealed that Adepoju and his accomplices were involved in various scams including phishing attacks, online romance fraud, and filing of fake tax returns.
The criminal activities were allegedly carried out while he was based in Nigeria.
Authorities explained that Adepoju later relocated to the United Kingdom, where he was apprehended and subsequently extradited to the United States in 2024.
He pleaded guilty in March 2025 to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
“Ridwan Adeleke Adepoju and his co-conspirators orchestrated several fraudulent operations from Nigeria. These included phishing emails, fake online personas, and the use of unsuspecting individuals to move stolen funds,” the statement read.
The scams reportedly affected multiple American citizens and businesses, including several victims in the Chicago area.
Adepoju, 33, was brought before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly, who handed down a 43-month prison sentence earlier this week.
This case comes shortly after another high-profile sentencing in the U.S., where five Nigerian nationals were collectively sentenced to over 159 years in prison for a $17 million fraud scheme.
According to prosecutors, the group defrauded more than 100 American individuals, companies, and government agencies.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Ray Combs, described the five as members of a transnational criminal network, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime originating from abroad.
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