The federal case describes a Nigeria-linked network that used business email compromise and romance fraud to steal more than $50 million from individuals and small businesses across the United States, leading to guilty pleas and ongoing prosecutions announced by law enforcement in 2026.
On April 20, 2026, in Brooklyn federal court, Animashaun Adebo, also known as “Kazeem” and “Kazeem Animashaun,” pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a string of business email compromise and romance schemes that defrauded victims of more than $50 million. The schemes targeted individuals and small businesses in the Eastern District of New York and nationwide, according to prosecutors.
The complaint says Adebo and his co-conspirators diverted victim funds into shell accounts inside and outside the United States, sometimes routing money through unwitting middlemen to hide the origin of the thefts. Authorities describe systematic laundering through corporate accounts and purchases of luxury items to absorb illicit proceeds.
The defendants named in the case include Animashuan Adebo, 40, of Chicago, Illinois; Idowu Ademoroti, 33, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Atlanta, Georgia; Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe, also known as “Randall Olson,” “Martin Roberto,” and “Carlos Eduardo,” age 45 of Lagos, Nigeria; and Nelson Ojeriakhi, also known as “Ojeey Mami” and “Oba Millie,” age 32, of Lagos, Nigeria. One co-defendant remains at large while another has already been jailed for related conduct.
A business email compromise scheme typically involves hackers or social engineers hijacking legitimate email accounts or crafting nearly identical spoofed addresses to trick victims into wiring funds. The report explains that victims involved in real estate closings and corporate payments were sent fraudulent wiring instructions from email accounts that mimicked legitimate parties to those transactions.
Romance schemes operate on a similar principle of deception, with perpetrators cultivating trust and feigning relationships online to convince victims to send money for fabricated emergencies or investment opportunities. The office spelled out identity theft, spoofed emails and websites, and malware as common techniques used to facilitate these scams.
Between April 2021 and March 2022, prosecutors say the ring carried out a coordinated series of BEC and romance frauds and then laundered and received the stolen proceeds. After victims followed the fraudulent wiring instructions, the transfers were misappropriated and moved through accounts controlled by members of the network.
The indictment and subsequent filings allege that some illicit funds were converted into luxury watches and other assets, and that an illegal money exchange operation run by co-defendant Idowu Ademoroti further obscured the money trail. Ademoroti was previously convicted and sentenced to a term of incarceration for his role in the scheme.
One defendant, Nelson Ojeriakhi, was arrested in Paris and extradited to the United States in July 2025; he pleaded guilty in November 2025 and is awaiting sentencing. Another defendant, Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe, remains at large and the hunt for him is ongoing, according to the filings.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, New York Field Office, announced the plea. “The defendant and his network of criminal associates perpetrated sophisticated frauds targeting victims here in Brooklyn and throughout the country,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.
“The staggering number of monetary losses this defendant and his network of thieves inflicted on innocent, hardworking, and good people caused significant financial hardship and distress. Let this sentence send a message to other cyber-criminals out there: You won’t get away with your crimes forever. We will track you down. And there will be significant consequences for your criminal misdeeds,” stated USSS Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool. “I am proud of the work the U.S. Secret Service did in this case, and I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our other law enforcement partners for their diligence in bringing justice to the innocent victims hurt by this criminal network.”
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section, with Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Daniel J. Marcus leading the case. Paralegal Specialists Liam McNett and Chelsea Guzman are assisting the team as the matter proceeds toward sentencing and additional enforcement actions.
