Four Individuals Charged in $50 Million Business Email Compromise

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York has unsealed indictments against four individuals involved in extensive business email compromise (BEC) and romance scam schemes. These fraudulent activities have led to more than $50 million in losses for victims across the United States, with a significant impact in New York City.

The defendants—Animashaun Adebo, Idowu Ademoroti, Nelson Ojeriakhi, and Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe—allegedly orchestrated a network of co-conspirators to misappropriate funds and launder them through shell company accounts. Adebo was apprehended in Chicago, while Ademoroti was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Ojeriakhi remains in custody in Paris, pending extradition, and Eboigbe is currently at large.

Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Patrick J. Freaney, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) New York Field Office, announced the arrests and charges. They emphasized the devastating impact of BEC schemes, which involve unauthorized transfers of funds via compromised business email accounts. Romance scams, a type of confidence fraud, were also employed, where perpetrators gain victims' trust under false pretenses to steal money.

The fraudulent activities spanned from April 2021 to March 2022, involving real estate transactions and business dealings. Victims received spoofed emails closely resembling legitimate contacts, instructing them to wire funds to accounts controlled by the defendants. Once transferred, the funds were laundered through shell companies and unwitting intermediaries.

Defendants and charges

1. Animashaun Adebo (39, Chicago, IL): Also known as “Kazeem,” Adebo faces charges including wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to receive stolen funds, and receipt of stolen funds. He allegedly directed others to launder proceeds through shell companies, luxury purchases, and illegal money exchanges, ultimately receiving funds in Nigerian corporate accounts.
2. Idowu Ademoroti (31, Milwaukee, WI; Atlanta, GA): Charged with money laundering conspiracy, operating an illegal money transmitting business, conspiracy to receive stolen funds, and receipt of stolen funds. Ademoroti allegedly laundered proceeds through a fraudulent money exchange operation, trading illicit dollars for Nigerian naira.
3. Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe (44, Lagos, Nigeria): Also known as “Randall Olson,” “Martin Roberto,” and “Carlos Eduardo,” Eboigbe faces charges of wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. He reportedly facilitated the transfer of over $10 million in fraudulent proceeds by posing as potential clients to law firms and directing them to wire funds.
4. Nelson Ojeriakhi (31, Lagos, Nigeria): Also known as “Ojeey Mami” and “Oba Millie,” Ojeriakhi is charged with wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy. He allegedly sent spoofed emails to defraud victims and laundered the proceeds through his co-conspirators. He was arrested in Paris in April 2023.

A fifth co-conspirator, Franziska Von Greve-Dierfeld (79, Aachen, Germany), had previously been charged with money laundering conspiracy. She received and disbursed fraudulent proceeds through shell company accounts and was arrested in May 2022. After serving her sentence, she was deported to Germany.

The charges remain allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.