A Nigerian national living in the United Kingdom, Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, has been arrested by British authorities at the request of the United States government after being indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud and computer fraud.
According to US prosecutors, Adepoju allegedly hacked into the email system of a Pennsylvania construction company contracted by a university, then created spoofed accounts to impersonate staff and divert payments.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ), in a statement released Thursday, confirmed that Adepoju was arrested on September 15, 2025, and is awaiting extradition to the United States to face a seven-count indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, alleges that between March and April 2023, Adepoju remotely accessed a protected computer system belonging to the construction company. He allegedly altered email rules, set up a fake domain, and used it to send fraudulent instructions that led the university to update payment details to an account under his control.
As a result, approximately $235,266 was diverted. Authorities confirmed that the funds have not been recovered.
Acting US Attorney Troy Rivetti said:
> “Adepoju is charged with using sophisticated cyber means to illegally access accounts belonging to a business in order to victimise one of our region’s universities. Even from halfway across the world, however, Adepoju was not beyond the investigative reach of the FBI. His arrest in the United Kingdom underscores our unwavering commitment to prosecute cybercriminals worldwide with the assistance of our law enforcement partners.”
The FBI’s Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge, Kevin Rojek, added that the bureau would relentlessly pursue cybercriminals, no matter their location.
> “Criminals who think they can reach across the globe into the United States to line their pockets at the expense of the American public need know one thing: the FBI and our partners are not going to let you get away with it,” he said.
Adepoju faces six counts of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud. Each wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, while the computer fraud charge carries up to five years.
The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office led the investigation, with prosecution being handled by Assistant US Attorney Mark V. Gurzo and support from the DoJ’s Office of International Affairs.
Authorities, however, stressed that an indictment is only an accusation and that Adepoju remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
