A 41-year-old Nigerian national, Babajide Adesayo, has been found guilty by a federal jury in the United States for his alleged role in laundering more than $2.7 million linked to romance fraud and other online scams targeting victims.
The US Department of Justice announced the conviction in a statement published on Wednesday, saying the jury reached its verdict on August 6, 2026, following an eight-day trial.
Adesayo was convicted on two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 16 counts of transactional money laundering.
The case relates to transactions carried out between April 2020 and September 2021, during which prosecutors said fraudsters targeted elderly people through online relationships and other forms of deception.
Victims allegedly deceived through online relationships
According to evidence presented during the trial, the victims were approached online by individuals who allegedly created false identities and developed relationships with them.
In some cases, the fraudsters reportedly presented themselves as romantic partners, while others posed as friends or business associates.
After establishing trust, the victims were allegedly given fabricated reasons for sending money.
The explanations reportedly included requests for funds to purchase business equipment, cover medical treatment, deal with injuries or resolve supposed imprisonment-related problems.
Authorities said some victims transferred substantial sums, including money from retirement savings and other personal income.
Prosecutors alleged that the money was subsequently moved through various accounts in an effort to conceal its source and make it available to members of the wider fraud network.
Business accounts allegedly used to move proceeds
Court evidence indicated that some victims were instructed to send money to business accounts connected to Adesayo’s co-defendant, Efemena Igbe, who is also Nigerian.
The Department of Justice alleged that Igbe then transferred much of the money in transactions described as payments connected to vehicle purchases from Adesayo’s automobile business.
Investigators subsequently traced a significant portion of the funds to Adesayo.
The prosecution said the money was then transferred to accounts outside the United States, including destinations in China, Hong Kong and Nigeria, among other locations.
According to prosecutors, Adesayo received and moved more than $2.7 million over approximately 17 months.
The transactions allegedly involved funds originating from multiple victims who had been deceived by the underlying fraud schemes.
Prosecutors describe movement of funds
The US authorities said the flow of money did not follow a single route.
In some instances, victims allegedly sent funds directly into accounts associated with businesses linked to Adesayo.
Other victims reportedly transferred money to accounts belonging to third parties before those funds were subsequently directed towards Adesayo or accounts connected to his businesses.
Investigators alleged that Adesayo frequently withdrew or transferred the money soon after it arrived in accounts under his control.
Prosecutors argued that the speed and manner of the transactions demonstrated an effort to move the proceeds away from their original source.
The case therefore focused not only on the alleged fraud proceeds but also on the financial transactions prosecutors said were designed to conceal or disguise the money.
Alleged laundering continued after arrest
The prosecution presented another serious allegation concerning Adesayo’s conduct after his arrest.
According to the Department of Justice, authorities discovered evidence suggesting that he continued to engage in money-laundering activity after being arrested in June 2024 while awaiting trial.
The alleged post-arrest conduct ultimately led to the revocation of his bond.
Adesayo has remained in federal custody since March 2, 2026, according to the US authorities.
The allegation that the transactions continued after his arrest was an additional factor in the government’s case and in subsequent decisions concerning his detention.
Conviction followed federal investigation
The conviction came after an eight-day federal trial in which prosecutors presented evidence concerning the alleged movement of funds between victims, US accounts and overseas destinations.
The Department of Justice said the jury found Adesayo guilty on all the charges for which he was tried.
The case illustrates the international nature of online financial fraud investigations, particularly where victims, fraudsters, bank accounts and money-transfer destinations are located in different countries.
Funds generated through online scams can move rapidly through several financial institutions and jurisdictions, making the tracing and recovery process more complicated for investigators.
Potential prison sentence
Adesayo is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2026, before United States District Judge Mark H. Cohen.
The Department of Justice said each of the two money-laundering conspiracy convictions carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Each of the 16 transactional money-laundering convictions carries a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Authorities also said Adesayo could face an additional consecutive sentence of up to 10 years if the court determines that he committed offences while he was on release.
However, those maximum penalties do not necessarily represent the sentence he will receive.
The Justice Department stressed that the final punishment will be determined by the federal court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The guidelines provide recommended sentencing ranges based on factors including the nature of the offences and the defendant’s circumstances, but they do not legally bind the sentencing judge.
Case highlights risks of romance fraud
The prosecution also draws attention to the growing sophistication of romance scams, in which criminals use emotional relationships and fabricated personal circumstances to persuade victims to transfer money.
Unlike conventional theft, such schemes often depend on prolonged interaction and manipulation.
Fraudsters may spend considerable time building trust before introducing financial requests, making victims less likely to suspect that they are being deceived.
Older people can be particularly vulnerable when scammers target retirement savings and other accumulated assets.
Once money is transferred, criminals can attempt to disguise its origin by moving it through business accounts, third-party accounts, financial institutions and international destinations.
That process creates a second layer of criminal activity beyond the initial deception.
International money trail
The alleged movement of Adesayo’s funds across the United States, China, Hong Kong, Nigeria and other jurisdictions demonstrates why money-laundering cases involving online fraud can require international cooperation.
Investigators must often establish where the money originated, identify accounts that received it and determine how it was subsequently transferred.
They may also have to distinguish legitimate business transactions from payments allegedly used to disguise criminal proceeds.
In Adesayo’s case, prosecutors argued that his automobile business was used in connection with transactions involving money allegedly generated by online fraud.
The jury’s verdict means the prosecution successfully established the criminal liability required for the charges beyond the trial stage, although sentencing remains pending.
The conviction is therefore not the conclusion of the entire court process.
Sentencing will determine the final punishment
Adesayo will remain in federal custody ahead of his November sentencing hearing.
At that stage, the court will consider the relevant sentencing guidelines and other legally permitted factors before determining the appropriate punishment.
The case serves as another example of US authorities pursuing individuals accused of helping online fraud networks convert illegally obtained money into funds that can be moved through apparently legitimate financial channels.
For victims, romance fraud can result in losses extending far beyond individual payments, particularly when scammers persuade people to surrender retirement funds or other long-term savings.
The US government’s prosecution of Adesayo focused on what prosecutors described as the financial infrastructure that allowed proceeds from those schemes to be collected, transferred and moved internationally.
With his conviction now secured, the next major development in the case will be his sentencing before the federal court in November.
