U.S.-based Nigerian pleads guilty to laundering $927,000 obtained throughan email scam

A 34‑year‑old Nigerian citizen, Edikan Adiakpan, who lives in Houston, has entered a guilty plea to charges of illegal money transmission, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.

Between 2020 and 2022, Adiakpan operated an unlicensed money‑transmitting business through a company he owned, Akama Lifestyle.

In his plea, Adiakpan acknowledged that he “used the business to transfer funds and kept a percentage as a fee.”

Authorities indicated that the money he received and moved originated from fraudsters who conducted a business‑email‑compromise (BEC) scheme affecting more than ten victims.

The victims were sent spoofed emails that appeared to be from legitimate suppliers and creditors, leading them to wire payments to accounts controlled by the fraudsters rather than to the intended vendors.

One victim wired $927,080 to the fraud network, and portions of that amount were later forwarded to Adiakpan.

Adiakpan also cashed a cashier’s check payable to himself that contained $60,000 of the victim’s funds.

He remains in custody pending sentencing.

Another Nigerian, Ayobami Omoniyi, 26, was sentenced on March 24 to 32 months in federal prison for his involvement in the same scheme.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen accepted the guilty plea and set a sentencing date for September 15. At that hearing, Adiakpan faces a maximum of five years in federal prison and a possible fine of $250,000.

The investigation was carried out by the FBI in Houston and its Bryan Resident Agency, together with IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.

Vanguard News

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