US court convicts Nigerian man over $7.5m charity fraud

A United States federal court has convicted a Nigerian national, Olusegu Adejorin, for defrauding two charitable organisations of more than $7.5 million, a crime that could earn him up to 20 years in prison.

Adejorin, 32, was found guilty after a six-day trial at a Maryland federal court, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.

He was convicted on charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorised access to a protected computer.

The Department of Justice disclosed that Adejorin was extradited from Ghana in connection with the case and that his criminal activities targeted charities based in Maryland and New York between June and August 2020.

According to investigators, Adejorin gained access to employee email accounts, impersonated staff members, and interfered with internal financial processes to redirect funds away from the organisations.

“After a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Olusegun Samson Adejorin, 32, a Nigerian national, of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. Adejorin was previously extradited from Ghana in connection with the case,” the DOJ statement said.

The department further explained that Adejorin created spoofed domain names to pose as employees of one charity while requesting withdrawals from the other. He also compromised email accounts to falsely validate those withdrawal requests, leading to the transfer of more than $7.5 million into accounts not connected to the charities.

US Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, alongside FBI Baltimore Field Office Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its investigative efforts. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant US Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Darren S. Gardner, who handled the prosecution.

“Adejorin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of wire fraud, a maximum of five years for unauthorized access to a protected computer, and a mandatory two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled sentencing for Friday, April 10, 2026,” the DOJ said.

The department noted that while maximum penalties are outlined by law, actual sentences are often lower, as courts consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement and combating organised and violent crime.

(PUNCH)