A Nigerian man has been arrested in the U.S. for alleged fraud targeting multiple organizations.
Authorities say he faces serious charges involving wire fraud, money laundering, and illegal money transfers.
A 33-year-old Nigerian national, Edikan Adiakpan, has been arrested in the United States for his alleged involvement in a widespread business email compromise (BEC) and money laundering operation that targeted organizations across eight states.
One of the affected victims includes a California-based medical research institution dedicated to advancing treatments for U.S. military veterans. The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed this in a statement published on its website on Thursday.
The arrest was formally announced by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Nicholas J. Ganjei. Adiakpan is scheduled to make his initial court appearance before Magistrate Judge Peter Bray in Houston.
On June 11, a federal grand jury filed a three-count indictment against Adiakpan, accusing him of conspiring to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and running an unlicensed money transmission business.
According to the Justice Department, the fraudulent activities took place in 2021 and involved fake emails crafted to impersonate legitimate vendors. The spoofed messages reportedly convinced companies to send payments to bank accounts controlled by the fraud ring, rather than to the intended recipients.
The indictment further alleges that the group laundered the stolen funds by moving them through a series of bank accounts, ultimately converting them into cashier’s checks. Adiakpan is said to have personally cashed some of the checks and retained a portion of the proceeds as a commission.
Another Nigerian, 26-year-old Ayobami Omoniyi, was previously charged in connection with the same scheme. He is currently awaiting sentencing before U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen.
If found guilty, Adiakpan could face up to 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He also faces up to five years for operating an unlicensed money transmission business. Each charge carries a potential fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Houston Field Office, the Bryan Resident Agency, and the IRS Criminal Investigation division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Christine Lu are leading the prosecution.
