Nigerian national Olusegun Samson Adejorin has been arrested in Ghana and charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer.

The charges are linked to an elaborate $7.5 million scheme, with the arrest taking place on Friday, December 29, 2023.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has issued an eight-count federal grand jury indictment against Adejorin. The charges are related to his alleged involvement in defrauding two charitable organizations through impersonation and unauthorized access to employee email accounts.

Between June and August 2020, Adejorin is accused of orchestrating a scheme to defraud a charitable organization in North Bethesda, Maryland, and another in New York. The indictment outlines his actions, including gaining access to employee email accounts, posing as employees, and inducing fraudulent financial transactions.

One facet of the scheme involved Adejorin posing as an employee of the New York-based organization, requesting withdrawals of the organization's funds. He is also alleged to have fraudulently obtained employee credentials, using them to send emails, including requests for the withdrawal of investment funds.

The indictment further accuses Adejorin of purchasing a credential-harvesting tool designed to steal email login credentials. He allegedly registered spoofed domain names and concealed fraudulent emails from legitimate employees by moving them to inconspicuous locations within their mailboxes.

If convicted, Adejorin could face severe penalties, including a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the five wire fraud counts. Unauthorized access to a protected computer carries a potential sentence of up to five years, while aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for each of the two counts.

The arrest and charges highlight the growing complexity of cybercrime and the global efforts to apprehend individuals involved in such fraudulent activities. Adejorin's case underscores the need for heightened cybersecurity measures and international cooperation to combat financial crimes with transnational dimensions.