A Nigerian national, Ridwan Adepoju, has been sentenced to 43 months in prison by a U.S. federal judge for defrauding Americans and businesses in Chicago in a sophisticated scheme that was orchestrated directly from Nigeria.

The sentencing of Mr Adepoju came after he was arrested in the United Kingdom last year based on a request from American officials and immediately extradited to the United States, where he eventually pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.

According to the prosecutors, the 33-year-old and his co-conspirators conducted several fraudulent schemes, including phishing scams, romance scams, and the submission of fraudulent tax returns, directly from Nigeria that most targeted individuals and businesses in Chicago areas in the United States. 

Investigation conducted by the FBI revealed that the gang specialised in creating spoofed email addresses and fictional social media persona, which they used to trick their victims into  fraudulently sending them significant amounts of money by posing as legitimate entities, the prosecutors said.

Delivering his judgement on June 17, 2025, Judge Matthew Kennelly of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, imposed a three-and-a-half prison sentence on Mr Adepoju.

He also faces potential deportation back to Nigeria upon completion of his sentence. 

“Defendant’s offense involved a years-long, complex scheme, involving several types of scams and many victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Ursini argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.

“Defendant chose to be a willing participant in the scheme over and over again.”