PITTSBURGH (Chatnewstv.com) — A Nigerian citizen living in the United Kingdom has been indicted in Pennsylvania on charges of wire fraud and computer intrusion in connection with the theft of more than $235,000 from a Western Pennsylvania university, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Farouk Adekunle Adepoju was arrested in the U.K. on Sept. 15 pursuant to a U.S. request for extradition and is awaiting transfer to face trial in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
According to the indictment, unsealed Thursday, Adepoju allegedly hacked into the computer system of a construction company working with the university between March and April 2023. Prosecutors said he altered email rules, created a spoofed domain and fake email account, and tricked university employees into sending more than $235,000 to a fraudulent bank account. The funds have not been recovered.
“Adepoju is charged with using sophisticated cyber means to illegally access accounts belonging to a business in order to victimize one of our region’s universities,” Rivetti said. “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 district’s unwavering commitment to aggressively locate and prosecute cybercriminals worldwide with the assistance of our law enforcement partners—both here and abroad.”
FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek said the bureau is determined to pursue such cases. “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. “We will find you and bring you to justice, no matter where you might be.”
Adepoju faces six counts of wire fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years, and one count of computer fraud, which carries up to five years. The actual sentence, if convicted, would be determined under federal sentencing guidelines.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark V. Gurzo with support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office conducted the investigation.
An indictment is only an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
