The FBI has requested the assistance of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apprehend two Nigerians, Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, accused of defrauding American healthcare providers of $13 million through a business email scam targeting Minnesota-based companies.
Shodiya, 43, and Jamiu, 31, were indicted by the United States on September 25 for their alleged involvement in the scheme, which occurred between October 2020 and 2024.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger stated that the duo created a fake internet domain resembling Fairview Health’s website, deceiving employees into redirecting payments to fraudulent accounts.
He said, “As part of the scheme, Babatunde and Ahmed created a fake ‘spoofed’ internet domain designed to appear as though it was controlled by Fairview Health. Unbeknownst to the vendor companies, the new accounts were actually controlled by Babatunde and Ahmed and their co-conspirators, not Fairview Health.
The scam allegedly involved exploiting Optum Pay, a payment system used by Minnesota healthcare providers, and setting up a counterfeit website to impersonate key Fairview Health officials. The pair sent phishing emails to Fairview Health employees, tricking them into providing login credentials.
Shodiya faces an additional charge of aggravated identity theft, alongside wire fraud charges. The U.S. authorities have confirmed that the suspects are Nigerian citizens residing in Nigeria, and American officials have reached out to the EFCC for assistance.
An EFCC officer stated that the commission will honor the request, citing their long-standing collaboration with the U.S. in addressing cross-border crimes.
