A Nigerian man based in the United Kingdom, Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, has been arrested following a request from the United States government to face fraud charges.
His arrest took place in the UK on September 15, 2025, and he is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania where he is expected to stand trial.
Court documents reveal that between March and April 2023, Adepoju allegedly hacked into the systems of a construction company working on a project for a university in Western Pennsylvania. Investigators said he gained access to the company’s email, set new rules, and created a fake email address that appeared legitimate. Through this scheme, he allegedly deceived the university into sending more than $235,000 to a fraudulent account. The stolen funds have not yet been recovered.
The indictment filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania contains seven charges, including six counts of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud. Wire fraud carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison for each count, while computer fraud carries up to five years.
According to US prosecutors, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tracked Adepoju’s online activities despite him being outside the country. The agency worked with international partners to ensure his arrest in the UK. He will remain in custody until extradition proceedings are completed.
If convicted, Adepoju could face decades in prison for the cybercrime, which targeted both a private business and a US university. For now, he remains in the UK, pending his transfer to the United States to answer to the charges.