Nigerian Man Arrested in UK for Hacking University Systems, Stealing $235,000

A Nigerian man residing in the United Kingdom has been arrested following a U.S. request for extradition over alleged cybercrimes targeting a U.S. university. Farouk Adekunle Adepoju faces charges of wire fraud and computer fraud, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.

Adepoju was taken into custody by U.K. authorities on September 15, 2025, and is awaiting extradition to the United States to face a seven-count indictment in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

According to the indictment, between March and April 2023, Adepoju allegedly hacked into a computer belonging to a construction company working for a university in Western Pennsylvania. He is accused of altering email rules, creating a spoofed email account, and tricking the university into transferring approximately \$235,266.80 to a fraudulent bank account. The funds have not been recovered.

“Adepoju is charged with using sophisticated cyber means to illegally access accounts belonging to a business in order to victimize one of our region’s universities,” Rivetti said. He added that, despite operating from abroad, Adepoju could not escape the investigative reach of U.S. authorities.

FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek emphasized, “Criminals who think they can reach across the globe into the United States to line their pockets at the expense of the American public need know one thing: the FBI and our partners are not going to let you get away with it.”

Adepoju faces six counts of wire fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years, and one count of computer fraud, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.