A Nigerian man, Edikan Adiakpan, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison in the United States for his role in a business email fraud scheme that defrauded American companies of millions of dollars.
Adiakpan, 35, who resides in Houston, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen after pleading guilty on May 12 to illegally transmitting proceeds linked to the fraudulent operation.
The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed the sentence in a statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
According to prosecutors, Adiakpan used his company, Akama Lifestyle, which he promoted as a luxury car service, to receive and transfer money obtained through the fraud scheme between 2020 and 2022.
Investigators said he received portions of the proceeds in exchange for a percentage of the money transferred through his business.
The scheme involved fraudsters impersonating legitimate suppliers and creditors through business email communications to trick companies into making payments into fraudulent bank accounts.
More than 10 victims were reportedly targeted in the operation.
One of the victims, a small utility trailer company based in Mississippi, transferred $927,080 to the fraudsters after receiving fraudulent payment instructions, believing the money was intended for a legitimate supplier.
Prosecutors said portions of the stolen funds were subsequently transferred to Adiakpan, who deposited and redeemed several cashier’s cheques payable to himself and his company.
The transactions involving the Mississippi company amounted to $359,000, according to the Department of Justice.
A victim impact statement detailing the financial consequences of the fraud was presented during Adiakpan’s sentencing hearing.
In addition to the 30-month prison term, the court ordered him to serve three years of supervised release after completing his sentence.
The Department of Justice also identified another Nigerian, 27-year-old Ayobami Omoniyi, as a participant in the scheme. Omoniyi was sentenced on March 24 to 32 months in federal prison for his involvement.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Houston Field Office and Bryan Resident Agency, alongside the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.
The department further disclosed that Adiakpan had temporary legal status in the United States when he was arrested.
