Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, a Nigerian living in the United Kingdom, was arrested by British authorities on September 15, 2025, following a request from the United States government. He’s facing charges of wire fraud and computer fraud related to a scheme that defrauded a Western Pennsylvania university of over $235,000.
Alleged Offenses:
– Hacking: Adepoju allegedly gained unauthorized access to a construction company’s email system while they were working for the university.
– Fake Accounts: He created a spoofed domain and email account to impersonate a company employee.
– Diverting Payment: Adepoju sent fraudulent emails to the university, requesting them to update the company’s payment information to a bank account he controlled.
Charges and Potential Sentence:
– Wire Fraud: Six counts, each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
– Computer Fraud: One count, carrying a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.
Extradition:
Adepoju is currently awaiting extradition to the United States to face a seven-count indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office led the investigation, emphasizing that email compromise schemes remain one of the costliest threats to businesses and institutions
