A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian national Edikan Adiakpan to 30 months in prison for illegally transferring money obtained through a business email compromise scheme that targeted more than 10 victims.

The sentence was announced on October 8, 2026, by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Adiakpan, 35, who lived in Houston, will serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term.

According to the US Department of Justice, Adiakpan pleaded guilty on May 12, 2026, to illegally transmitting proceeds linked to the fraud operation. US District Judge Andrew Hanen imposed the sentence after hearing evidence about Adiakpan’s role in moving money for the fraudsters.

Investigators said that between 2020 and 2022, Adiakpan used a company he controlled, Akama Lifestyle, which he advertised as a luxury car service, to receive and transfer funds for others. He retained a percentage of the money as payment for facilitating the transactions.

The funds originated from a business email compromise scheme in which fraudsters impersonated legitimate suppliers and creditors. By sending emails that appeared genuine, they deceived businesses into transferring payments to bank accounts controlled by the criminals instead of the intended suppliers.

One of the victims was a small utility trailer company in Mississippi. Prosecutors said the business was tricked into wiring $927,080 to the fraudsters after receiving fraudulent payment instructions.

The money was subsequently divided, with portions transferred to Adiakpan. According to evidence presented during sentencing, he deposited and redeemed several cashier’s cheques payable to himself and his company that contained $359,000 belonging to the Mississippi business.

A victim impact statement was also presented to the court, describing the financial consequences of the fraud for the affected company.

The case highlights how business email compromise schemes can exploit routine commercial transactions. Criminals often rely on impersonation and altered payment instructions to make fraudulent requests appear to come from trusted business partners.

The Justice Department also identified another Nigerian national, Ayobami Omoniyi, 27, as a participant in the scheme. Omoniyi was sentenced on March 24, 2026, to 32 months in federal prison for his role in transferring proceeds connected to the fraud operation.

Adiakpan had temporary legal status in the United States at the time of his arrest, according to federal authorities. The sentencing announcement identified him as originally from Nigeria.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Houston Field Office and Bryan Resident Agency, alongside the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant US Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.

The sentence brings a significant stage of the prosecution to a close, while underscoring the financial damage that email-based payment fraud can cause businesses. Authorities continue to warn companies to independently verify changes to supplier payment details and unusual requests for money before authorising transfers.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia