A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Edikan Adiakpan, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison in the United States for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar email scam. The sentencing was announced by the United States Department of Justice on October 8, 2026. Adiakpan, who resided in Houston, was arrested in June 2025 and later pleaded guilty to the charges on May 12, 2026.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen presided over the case, during which evidence was presented showing that Adiakpan operated a company named "Akama Lifestyle." Advertised as a luxury car service, the company was used as a front to facilitate the transfer of funds obtained through fraudulent activities. From 2020 to 2022, Adiakpan received funds from a business email compromise scheme that targeted over 10 victims. The scheme involved fraudsters sending spoofed emails that appeared to come from legitimate suppliers, tricking victims into wiring payments to bank accounts controlled by the scammers.

One notable victim of this scheme was a small utility trailer company based in Mississippi. The company suffered significant financial losses after being deceived into wiring $927,080 to the fraudsters, believing they were paying their actual supplier. Adiakpan was implicated in the scheme as he received portions of the funds, depositing and cashing several checks totaling $359,000 that were derived from the victim's money.

At the sentencing hearing, the impact of the fraud on the victim company was highlighted through a victim impact statement. Adiakpan's sentence includes three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Adiakpan had temporary legal status in the United States at the time of his arrest but is originally from Nigeria. His case is part of a broader investigation into email scams, which have seen a rise in recent years, targeting businesses across the country.

Another individual involved in the scam, Ayobami Omoniyi, aged 27, was sentenced earlier this year to 32 months in federal prison for his role in the fraudulent activities. The investigation was carried out by the FBI Houston and its Bryan Resident Agency, alongside the IRS Criminal Investigation unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek led the prosecution in this case, emphasizing the serious nature of such financial crimes and their impact on businesses and individuals alike.