The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced a reward of up to $10,000, equivalent to approximately ₦14 million, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Nigerian national, Olumide Adebiyi Adediran.
According to the FBI, Adediran has been a fugitive for over two decades. He fled the Central District of Illinois in late December 2001, just before his federal trial on charges of Bank Fraud, Identification Document Fraud, and Credit Card Fraud was set to begin.
The charges stem from an alleged scheme in which Adediran entered a bank in Champaign, Illinois, in August 2001, and attempted to withdraw money using a fraudulent check. He is also accused of using stolen personal information of U.S. citizens to open bank and credit card accounts.
On January 2, 2002, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Adediran in the United States District Court, Central District of Illinois, Urbana, for violating the conditions of his release. The FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating him to face these charges.
This is not the first time the FBI has offered a reward for information on Nigerian nationals wanted for various crimes. The agency has a number of Nigerians on its wanted list for alleged involvement in a range of fraudulent activities, including business email compromise (BEC) scams, wire fraud, and identity theft. These cases highlight the ongoing efforts of international law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime and financial fraud that crosses borders.
