Press Release
☷Nigerian National Extradited for Defrauding Elderly Victims and Money Laundering
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
Apr 28,2022
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Nigerian National Extradited for Defrauding Elderly Victims and Money Laundering LEXINGTON , Ky . - A Nigerian national , Adedunmola Gbadegesin , has been extradited to the United States , on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering , stemming from the financial exploitation of elderly victims in the United States . According to a recently unsealed Court documents , a federal grand jury in Lexington returned an indictment charging Adedunmola Gbadegesin , 33 , of Lagos , Nigeria , alongside two others , Olatunbosun Oluwakayode Ajayi , 34 , of Atlanta Georgia , and Otunuya Ineh Eqwem Livingstone , 45 , of Houston Texas , with conspiracy to commit money laundering . The indictment alleges that Gbadegesin and his co - conspirators collaborated to create fake online dating profiles , to post to online dating websites . As part of the alleged conspiracy , the co - conspirators would engage in online chats , emails , and telephone calls with unwitting victims , who were located in the United States , including one in Lexington . The indictment alleges that as part of the conspiracy , the co - conspirators would convince the victims to send money to the nonexistent romantic partners or give them access to their financial accounts , so the co - conspirators could initiate money transfers themselves . The indictment also alleges that Gbadegesin hired others in the U . S . to receive funds from victims and to launder those funds , so the funds could be returned back to Gbadegesin in Nigeria . Those United States - based money launderers included Ineh Eqwem , Ajayi , and Ismaila Fafunmi . Fafunmi pleaded guilty to his role in the money laundering scheme; and in August 2021 , he received 51 months in prison . Ineh Eqwem and Ajayi have also pleaded guilty for their roles in the money laundering scheme; they were sentenced to 24 months and 12 months , respectively . Gbadgesin was arrested by Nigerian authorities on Sept . 22 , 2021 , in Lagos , Nigeria at the request of the United States . At the time of his arrest , Gbadgesein had been residing in Lagos , Nigeria . Nigeria approved his extradition on March 21 , 2021 , and he was transferred into U . S . custody on April 26 , 2022 . Carlton S . Shier , IV , United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky , and Jodi Cohen , Special Agent in Charge , FBI , Louisville Field Office , jointly announced the indictment . The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI . The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U . S . Attorney Kate Dieruf . The U . S . Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs , the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria , the Nigerian Attorney General’s Office , the Central Authority Unity , and the FBI Louisville Field Office assisted with the extradition of Gbadgesein . Gbadegesin has his first appearance in Court on May 2 , 2022 at 11:30 a . m . He faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500 , 000 . However , any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court , after its consideration of the U . S . Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes . This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to identify and prosecute those persons who facilitate elder financial exploitation . The Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Mission , being carried out through the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force , is to seek justice for victims of elder financial exploitation . Anyone that knows someone , who may be a victim of an elder financial exploitation , is encouraged to contact law enforcement . Any indictment is an accusation only . A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt . — END —
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