Houston, Texas — A 33-year-old Nigerian national, Edikan Adiakpan, has been arrested in the United States for his alleged role in a large-scale business email compromise (BEC) and money laundering scheme that defrauded multiple organizations across eight U.S. states, including a prominent nonprofit medical research group in California.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Adiakpan faces three serious felony charges: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to federal investigators, the scheme took place in 2021 and involved impersonating legitimate vendors through spoofed email accounts to trick companies into wiring funds into fraudulent bank accounts controlled by the accused and his accomplices. One of the major victims was a California-based nonprofit developing medical treatments for U.S. military veterans.
Adiakpan’s alleged co-conspirator, Ayobami Omoniyi, 26, has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The indictment, filed on June 11, 2025, accuses both men of laundering stolen funds through various accounts and crypto transactions, concealing the origins and movement of the illicit proceeds.
The arrest followed an extensive investigation led by the FBI Houston Division, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, and the Bryan Resident Agency. Prosecutors Belinda Beek and Christine Lu of the Eastern District of Texas are handling the case.
Adiakpan made his initial court appearance this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray in Houston, Texas.
If convicted, Adiakpan faces up to 20 years in prison each for the wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges, and up to 5 years for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He could also be fined up to $250,000 per count.
The arrest underscores the growing threat posed by cyber-enabled financial crimes and the U.S. government’s commitment to prosecuting BEC-related fraud, particularly those targeting vulnerable sectors such as veteran healthcare services.