Six Nigerian Nationals Extradited from South Africa to Mississippi to Face Fraud Charges

Six Nigerian nationals were extradited from South Africa to Gulfport, Mississippi, to face a nine-count federal indictment in the Southern District of Mississippi alleging various Internet fraud schemes.  A total of 20 defendants are charged in this case.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.

Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30; Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31; Olusegun Seyi Shonekan, 33; Taofeeq Olamilekan Oyelade, 30; Olufemi Obaro Omoraka, 26; and Anuoluwapo Segun Adegbemigun, 39, are charged along with 15 others in an Oct. 7, 2014, indictment with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit identity theft, use of unauthorized account access devices, theft of U.S. government funds and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  The charges stem from the defendants alleged participation in numerous Internet-based complex financial fraud schemes, including romance scams, re-shipping scams, fraudulent check scams and work-at-home scams, as well as bank, financial and credit card account takeovers.

According to the allegations in the indictment, from as early as 2001, the defendants identified and solicited potential victims through online dating websites and work-at-home opportunities.  In some instances, the defendants allegedly carried on fictitious online romantic relationships with victims for the purpose of using the victims to further certain objectives of the conspiracy.  For example, the indictment alleges that the defendants convinced victims to ship and receive merchandise purchased with stolen personal identifying information (PII) and compromised credit card and banking information, to deposit counterfeit checks, and to transfer proceeds of the conspiracy via wire, U.S. mail or express delivery services. 

To date, defendants Teslim Olarewaju Kiriji, 30; Olutoyin Ogunlade, 41; and Dennis Brian Ladden, 75, have been convicted of offenses relating to their roles in the schemes.  Defendants Susan Anne Villeneuve, 49; and Genoveva Farfan, 45; Sesan Olumide Farin, 40; Femi Alexander Mewase, 44; Rhulane Fionah Hlungwane, 24; and Adekunle Adefila, 40, are awaiting trial.  The United States is seeking extradition from Nigeria of defendants Kayode Bamidele, Ajayi Oluwaseyi Stephen and Emmanuel Adeniyi Osokomaiya.  Defendants Gabriel Oludare Adeniran and Oduntan Sikiru Lawani remain fugitives.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations.  A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Significant assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, HSI Attachés in Pretoria and Dakar, U.S. Marshals Service’s International Investigations Branch and the Southern District of Mississippi, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) Electronic Crimes Unit, the SAPS Interpol Extradition Unit, the South African National Prosecution Authority, and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Robert Tully of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annette Williams and Scott Gilbert of the Southern District of Mississippi.

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If you believe that you may have been a victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, please go to http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scams and complete the questionnaire using the password scams.  Defendants allegedly used the following email addresses and names to perpetuate the scheme:

REDARMY_TX_HOST@YAHOO.COM      MOBICOALZ@GMAIL.COM

RWASSER@ROCKETMAIL.COM              FOLLYEDWARDS@YAHOO.COM

RDARWIN322@GMAIL.COM                      RDARWIN324@GMAIL.COM

KAREN_ROB01@YAHOO.COM                 FAYEKIMBERLY19@YAHOO.COM

FAYEKIMBERLY@YMAIL.COM                  TESCOSG@YAHOO.COM

GERVINOJ@YAHOO.COM                         GERVINOJ11@GMAIL.COM

JOHNVINO56@GMAIL.COM                       RASAQ_ADEROJU@YAHOO.COM

KEVINSMITH3949@YAHOO.COM              SMITHKEVIN902@GMAIL.COM

ANITA.LAUREN01@GMAIL.COM                ANITA.LAUREN1@GMAIL.COM

SPOWELL26AL@GMAIL.COM                    SPOWELL26AL3@YAHOO.COM

GENTILEMARK186@GMAIL.COM              RHULANEF@YAHOO.COM

LMG.ORCHID1827@GMAIL.COM               MARK2GENTLE@YAHOO.COM

MATT.MILLER4070@GMAIL.COM              JONES_DICKSON@YAHOO.COM

LLOYDFARELL0012008@YAHOO.COM    MARCHAS1963@GMAIL.COM

OLADIMEJISEUN2008@YAHOO.COM       STACYADAMS20009@YAHOO.COM

JUSTIN.WORSHAM@YAHOO.COM           OLUWA_NISHOLA@YAHOO.COM

MIMICOLE001@YAHOO.COM                    FNCYJEN@YAHOO.COM

FMPLUST12@GMAIL.COM                         SUSANV1418@YAHOO.COM             

MAXWELLSAMUEL59@YAHOO.COM        SEGSEA121@YAHOO.COM

STARENTERPRISE74@YAHOO.COM        FEMI_OMORAKA@YAHOO.COM

PETERLAWSON5050@YAHOO.COM         ADDIEP01@YAHOO.COM          

GLENNSATTELBERG1961@GMAIL.COM  HORLAMI84@YAHOO.COM

EMPLOYMENTOFFERS007@YAHOO.COM

Richard Wasser                                               Adeline Piper             

Glenn Sattelberg                                             Folly Edwards

Samuel Maxwell                                              Stacy Adams

Regina Darwin                                                Justin Worsham

Marlon Chase                                                 Karen Robinson

Dickson Jones                                                Mark Miller

Kimberly Faye                                                 Mark Smith

Lorene M. Garrett                                           John Gervino

Mark Gentile                                                   Sarah Powell

Kevin Smith                                                    Anita Lauren

Any information that you provide through the questionnaire may be helpful in the criminal investigation and prosecution of this case.  A federal investigator may contact you with additional questions or to request documents you may have.  Please note that submitting the questionnaire is not a substitute for consulting with your own attorney to determine what actions and remedies may be available to you through civil litigation.  If you have any questions related to this matter that are not addressed at the above websites, you may contact federal law enforcement authorities at USAMSS.Scams@usdoj.gov.

Ayelotan Second Superseding Indictment