A Nigerian national, Olusegun Adejorin, has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a U.S. court for his role in a $7.5 million wire fraud scheme that targeted two charitable organisations. The 32-year-old was found guilty of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to protected computers. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang handed down the 96-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release, after a federal jury convicted him on all charges in December 2025.
The Department of Justice revealed that Adejorin carried out the fraudulent scheme between June and August 2020. He gained access to employee email accounts at Victim 1, a Maryland-based charity that offered investment services to other nonprofits. Using this access, he impersonated staff members to deceive Victim 2, a New York-based charitable organisation, into initiating financial transactions.
To further mask his actions, Adejorin registered spoofed domain names that mimicked legitimate company emails. These fake domains were used to send fraudulent withdrawal requests from Victim 2’s account through Victim 1’s systems. He then manipulated Victim 1’s email accounts to send false confirmation messages, making the scam appear legitimate to both parties involved.
As a result of these coordinated efforts, more than $7.5 million was transferred from Victim 2’s funds through Victim 1’s accounts into bank accounts not belonging to either organisation. The money was diverted to accounts controlled by Adejorin, who exploited digital vulnerabilities to carry out the elaborate deception.
Adejorin was extradited from Ghana to the United States in August 2024 to face trial. His conviction came after a six-day trial where prosecutors presented detailed evidence of his criminal methods, including email logs, domain registration records, and transaction histories. The case highlighted the growing threat of cyber-enabled financial crimes targeting nonprofit institutions.
This sentencing underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to holding cybercriminals accountable, even when they operate across international borders. It also serves as a warning to individuals and organisations about the importance of securing digital communication channels against sophisticated phishing and impersonation attacks.
The case is expected to influence future cybersecurity policies and training programs, especially for charities and financial service providers handling sensitive transactions. As digital fraud continues to evolve, authorities are likely to increase surveillance and cooperation with international law enforcement agencies to combat such crimes.
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