By Deborah Nnamdi
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Nigerian national, Olumide Adebiyi Adediran, wanted in the United States for multiple fraud offences.
According to the FBI, Adediran faces charges including bank fraud, fraud involving identification documents and authentication features, as well as unauthorized credit card transactions. He also allegedly violated the conditions of his release.
Adediran, born on October 11, 1968, is described as a Black male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing about 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities say he has ties to South Florida and should be considered dangerous. He is known to use several aliases, including Kevin Olumide Adediran, Eric O. Williams, Maxo Alexandre, Olumide Adkins, and Edward N. Anderson.
In August 2001, Adediran allegedly entered a bank in Champaign, Illinois, and attempted to withdraw funds from a deposited fraudulent check. He is also accused of using stolen personal information from U.S. citizens to open bank and credit accounts.
He fled the Central District of Illinois in December 2001, shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin. A federal arrest warrant was issued against him on January 2, 2002, by the United States District Court in Urbana, Illinois.
The FBI has urged anyone with information about Adediran’s whereabouts to contact the nearest FBI office, U.S. Embassy, or Consulate. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online. The case is being handled by the FBI’s Springfield Field Office.
The announcement comes just weeks after another Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, was extradited from France to the United States to face charges of computer hacking, identity theft, and wire fraud.
Prosecutors allege Amachukwu and his accomplices defrauded U.S. tax authorities and victims of millions of dollars by hacking tax preparation firms and filing fraudulent returns. They also obtained over $800,000 in false claims through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
Amachukwu was arrested in France through international cooperation involving the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and French law enforcement.
