How US-based Nigerian laundered $927,000 in email fraud scheme
A 34-year-old Nigerian national residing in Houston, Texas, Edikan Adiakpan, has pleaded guilty to illegal money transmission, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Court documents revealed that from 2020 to 2022, Adiakpan owned an unlicensed money transmitting business through a company he controlled, Akama Lifestyle.
As part of his plea, Adiakpan admitted that “he used the business to transfer funds and kept a percentage as a fee.”
Authorities said the funds he received and transmitted originated from fraudsters who carried out a business email compromise scheme targeting more than 10 victims.
The victims received spoofed emails that appeared to come from legitimate suppliers and creditors, tricking them into sending payments to accounts controlled by the fraudsters instead of the actual vendors.
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One victim wired $927,080 to the fraud network, which later forwarded portions of the proceeds to Adiakpan.
He also redeemed a cashier’s check payable to himself that contained $60,000 of the victim’s money.
Adiakpan has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
