$13m fraud: FBI seeks EFCC help to arrest Nigerian suspects

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been tasked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States of America to locate and apprehend two Nigerians, Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, who were listed as wanted for allegedly using a fraudulent website to extort American medical facilities in Minnesota of $13m.

A grand jury in the U.S. District Court for Minnesota arraigned them on September 25 for their involvement in a fraud conspiracy that deceived many healthcare providers between October 2020 and 2024.

According to U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, Shodiya and Jamiu allegedly used falsified websites and email addresses to manipulate payment transfers on Optum Pay, a popular payment system among Minnesota’s healthcare providers under the guise of being owned by Fairview Health.

Using these fictitious email addresses, the fraud team sent emails to Fairview Health staff, deceiving them into supplying login information.

They created a counterfeit website, fairviewhospitals.org, and pretended to be key hospital personnel, including the CEO, executive vice president, and a business analyst.

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In addition to the wire fraud allegations, Shodiya is charged with aggravated identity theft for pretending to be Fairview executives.

Luger said, “As part of the scheme, Babatunde and Jamiu created a fake ‘spoofed’ internet domain designed to appear as though it was controlled by Fairview Health.”

“In total, Babatunde and Ahmed fraudulently directed more than $13m in payments intended for Fairview Health from Minnesota-based healthcare companies to accounts controlled by Babatunde, Ahmed, and their co-conspirators.”

However, the U.S. security agency has confirmed that the suspects are Nigerian citizens who also reside in Nigeria and have called on Nigeria’s EFCC to seek their assistance.

“The U.S. officials reached out to us and informed us that the suspects are believed to be hiding in Nigeria

“We have a duty to honour this request in line with our long-standing collaboration with the U.S. in addressing cross-border crimes,” an EFCC officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, said.

Once the EFCC successfully hunts down Mr Shodiya and Mr Jamiu, they will be taken to the U.S. to face trial while also compromising all assets linked to the profits of the crime to the American authorities.

$13m fraud: FBI seeks EFCC help to arrest Nigerian suspects

Horror as man stabs father to death in Lagos

A 25-year-old man, Chibunnma Chimelie, has been taken into custody by the Lagos State Police for allegedly stabbing his 68-year-old father to death.

The tragic incident took place on Thursday at around 10:00 p.m. in the Isolo area of Lagos, according to the state’s police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the report.

Hundeyin shared that the incident was brought to light when the suspect’s brother filed a complaint at the Aswani Police Divisional Station.

“The complainant stated that he received a call from a neighbour, informing him that his father was having a serious altercation with the suspect, who also lived in the same house,” said Hundeyin.

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Upon arriving at the scene, the complainant found his father lying in a pool of blood, unresponsive.

The police swiftly responded to the situation and arrested the suspect at the scene. Investigators found a blood-stained knife near the body, which has been taken as evidence.

“A team of investigators arrived at the location, documented the scene, and transported the victim to General Hospital, Isolo, where doctors later confirmed his death,” Hundeyin explained.

The victim’s body has since been taken to the General Hospital Mortuary, while the suspect has reportedly confessed to the crime. Authorities are continuing their investigation to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.

Horror as man stabs father to death in Lagos

Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims

Operatives of Amotekun have foiled five kidnap attempts and rescued nine kidnap victims across the state within one week. Mr Adetunji Adeleye, state Commander of Amotekun Corps, made the disclosure on Friday in Akure while parading 20 suspected criminals arrested for crimes like cultism, house breaking, motorcycle theft, among others.

Adeleye, who said that the arrests were made within a week under review through the Amotekun Rangers, reiterated the corps commitment to ensuring the safety and security of residents in the state.

He said that the Amotekun rangers had been active in combing the forests across Ondo state, particularly in known flashpoints, to keep kidnappers at bay.

According to the commander, the suspected kidnapper, 28-year-old Usman Abubakar, who was arrested in Igbo Oba, Owo, confirmed collecting N2 million from a victim.

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“Abubakar told us how they shared the N2 million, and he also told us how to get to the root of their godfathers.

“The Amotekun Rangers launched by Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State had, recently, penetrated the forest substantially within the week under review.

“We were able to resist five kidnapping attempts and we were also able to rescue nine victims. That is to say that the kidnap attempts failed.

“Moreover, the notorious portion of Elegbeka area has been bombarded, and we are glad to say that the Amotekun Rangers had infiltrated the entire forest to guarantee safety of commuters,” he said.

Adeleye, therefore, reassured the public that the rangers would continue to infiltrate the entire forest to ensure the safety of commuters and safeguard lives and properties.

Amotekun foils 5 kidnap attempts in Ondo, rescues 9 victims

(NAN)