Kolade Akinwale Ojelade, a Nigerian national living in the UK, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme targeting homebuyers in the U.S. Ojelade used phishing and spoofing attacks to intercept real estate wire payments. He was extradited from the UK to the U.S. in April 2024 after being indicted in February 2023.
Ojelade’s scheme involved hacking into real estate businesses’ email systems, monitoring their transactions, and altering wire instructions to redirect funds into his own accounts. Victims, including prospective homeowners and real estate companies, unknowingly sent large sums of money to Ojelade’s accounts instead of the intended recipients.
The FBI, working with international partners, played a key role in Ojelade’s arrest and extradition. U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton and FBI Special Agent Chad Yarbrough emphasized the sophistication of Ojelade’s phishing scheme and its devastating financial consequences for the victims.
Ojelade faces up to 32 years in prison for his crimes and will be deported after serving his sentence. Authorities continue to urge the public to follow best practices for verifying wire transfers, especially in real estate transactions, to avoid falling victim to similar scams.
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