Sobanke Idris Sunday Adereti, son of the late monarch of Iwaraland in Ile-Ife, has been sentenced to federal prison for federal fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, United States.
He pleaded guilty on Oct. 25, 2021, to passport fraud and attempted bank fraud, and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.
Court documents says in March 2021, Adereti ,24,presented a false passport and a falsely procured certified cheque when trying to open a bank account in Flower Mound, Texas.
The cheque was purchased by a fraud victim who was induced into sending money to Adereti, falsely known as “Robinson Elijah.”
He was likely acting as a money mule to cash the victim’s checks. When Adereti was arrested, he had additional passports and bank statements in other names in his possession.
Investigators also said that Adereti was also connected to scams related to business email compromise fraud and other government program fraud.
Besides, evidence showed that Adereti was the son of a Nigerian traditional ruler and entered the United States on a visitor’s visa in 2018, which has since expired.
“Scams to steal money are around every corner.Thanks to the keen eye of bank officials, Adereti was apprehended. Unfortunately, many of these crimes target our vulnerable elder population. It is up to all of us to share this awareness and look out for our greatest generation.”,said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Adereti with federal violations on April 7, 2021.
Besides,a Nigerian was extradited from the United Kingdom to Bismarck, North Dakota, to face multiple charges concerning money laundering and fraud.
Kolawole Bamidele Akande (also known as Patric Elis Ferguson, David Louis Wallace or Ramos Joseph Hogan) made an initial appearance in court and was detained pending trial.
Akande was involved in a “complicated” computer intrusion scheme targeting a Dickinson company, which was allegedly defrauded out of $348,000.
He, and others, obtained cheques from the company through the mail and deposited them in accounts in financial institutions in Texas, police say.
Once the money from the checks was available for withdrawal and transfer, the money was withdrawn and transferred to conceal and disguise their nature, location, source and ownership.
Akande is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud and money laundering.
Two co-defendants were previously sentenced in North Dakota.
