A Nigerian individual infiltrates a United States university's systems, resulting in the theft of $235,000.

 How a Nigerian individual managed to hack a US university and embezzle $235,000 – Officials

A Nigerian residing in the United Kingdom, Farouk Adekunle Adepoju, has been apprehended by British authorities following a request from the United States government after he was charged with wire fraud and computer fraud.

According to prosecutors in the US, Adepoju infiltrated the email system of a construction company in Pennsylvania that was contracted by a university, subsequently creating fraudulent accounts to impersonate staff and redirect payments.

The US Department of Justice, in a statement released on its website on Thursday, indicated that Adepoju, who was taken into custody on September 15, 2025, is currently awaiting extradition to face a seven-count indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The indictment, which was unsealed on Thursday, claims that between March and April 2023, Adepoju remotely accessed a secured computer belonging to the construction firm.

He is accused of modifying email protocols, establishing a spoofed domain, and utilizing it to issue fraudulent payment directives to the university.

Based on these emails, the university altered the payment information for the construction company to a fraudulent account managed by Adepoju, resulting in a transfer of approximately $235,266.

The stolen funds have yet to be recovered.

Acting US Attorney Troy Rivetti stated, “Adepoju is charged with employing advanced cyber techniques to unlawfully access accounts belonging to a business in order to exploit one of our region’s universities.

“Even from halfway across the globe, however, Adepoju was not beyond the investigative capabilities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His arrest in the United Kingdom highlights our district’s steadfast commitment to diligently locating and prosecuting cybercriminals worldwide, with the support of our law enforcement partners—both domestically and internationally.”

FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge, Kevin Rojek, stated, “Criminals who believe they can extend their reach across the globe into the United States to enrich themselves at the expense of the American public should understand one thing: the FBI and our partners will not allow you to evade justice.

“We will locate you and ensure you are held accountable, regardless of your location. Email compromise schemes are not without victims; they represent one of the most significant threats faced by businesses, universities, and organizations, both large and small, today.”

Adepoju is facing six counts of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud.

Each wire fraud charge carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the computer fraud charge could result in up to five years.

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, with Assistant US Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuting the case, supported by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.

Authorities emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation, and Adepoju is presumed innocent until proven guilty.