$3.5m Fraud: EFCC Extradites FBI-Wanted Suspect To US

The Nigerian government has extradited a wire fraud suspect, Fatade Olamilekan, to the United States to face charges.

The spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement on Tuesday, that Mr Olamilekan was flown to the U.S. last Thursday.

The suspect, who is on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is accused of stealing over $3.5 million worth of equipment in various cities across the U.S.

He allegedly committed the offences through impersonation in various cities, states and academic institutions across the United States, according to the EFCC.

EFCC said it coordinated his extradition following a notice from the FBI in New York, through the US Legal Attaché.

Mr Olamilekan was indicted by a grand jury in the Southern District of New York for offences of wire fraud, interstate transportation of stolen property and identity theft.

The suspect was arrested on September 30, 2021, by the EFCC and the Attorney-General of the Federation filed the extradition proceedings against him in November 2021 at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.

On May 1, 2022, the judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, granted the request to extradite the suspect to the United States to answer the criminal charges against him.

Upon his arrival in the United States, the suspect is billed to appear before a United States District Court.

In April, the EFCC announced the extradition of another wire fraud suspect, Adedunmola Gbadegesin, accused of money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

His extradition followed a February 11, 2022 decision of the Federal High Court in Lagos granting the request by the Attorney-General of the Federation’s office for Mr Gbadegesin’s extradition to the U.S.

“His extradition was coordinated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, following a request from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, pursuant to a February 11, 2022 order by Justice D.E Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/765/21, which granted a request to extradite the suspect to the United States to answer to criminal charges bordering on a romance scam, wire fraud and money laundering,” the EFCC said in its statement on Wednesday.