The United States has arraigned 11 Nigerians over $6 million bank fraud.
This comes just days after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) declared six Nigerians wanted for alleged involvement in over $6 million internet fraud.
A statement by the US Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey identified the defendants in the bank fraud case as Sulaiman Dosunmu, 39; Tunde Adeowo, 40; Muritala Adeowo, 55; Ayanniyi Alayande, 47; Ahmmed Ponle, 41; Margiettu Kamu, 34; Rafiat Sarumi, 36; Babatunde Oke, 40; Adekunle Owolabi, 49; Olayinka Olaseinde, 42; and Olugbenga Oyedele, 47.
US attorney, Craig Carpenito, said they were arraigned for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud in Southern New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania over the course of four years.
The Nigerians are said to have defrauded hundreds of victims through accounts domiciled in American banks including Wells Fargo.
“The defendants are allegedly members of a Nigeria-based, multi-layered organization that engaged in a massive bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020,” part of the charge sheet read.
“Members of the group stole numerous business checks from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks in bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent US visas that matched the names on the stolen checks.
“Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts with fake identity documents to defraud the banks.
“The organization also laundered the proceeds of the fraud by several means, including using debit cards to purchase money orders from third-party stores and using those money orders to purchase used automobiles from different automobile auction companies in Pennsylvania.
“The vehicles were then exported to Nigeria and other countries in Africa to launder the stolen funds and to increase profits by selling the vehicles at the higher market values obtained for vehicles in these foreign countries.”
