Published 5th Jul, 2022

By Tola Owoyele

Blessing Adeleke, a Nigerian administrator at Shadowinfo, an online marketplace, has made his first appearance in a district court in Ohio, United States of America, for allegedly stealing funds from victims’ bank accounts in the state and elsewhere between 2014 and 2016.

According to the information available on the website of the US Department of Justice, the 31-year-old was charged in a 17-count indictment: one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and 16 counts of bank fraud.

While working as an administrator for Shadowinfo, Adeleke and other members of his syndicate obtained stolen financial information, made fraudulent and unauthorised purchases of retail goods and gift cards, and stole funds from victims’ bank accounts.

Adeleke was extradited from Ghana, where he had been hiding, in March 28 and transferred to US custody on June 28.

According to the court documents, Adeleke and other members of his organisation used stolen credit card information to purchase items like retail goods and gift cards for themselves.

The administrator is alleged to have shared the stolen credit card information with Kylie Ann Harlow, a co-defendant.

Adeleke was also indicted for shipping retail goods purchased with the stolen financial information to Harlow and other members of the syndicate. In some instances, Adeleke and Harlow returned the goods and gift cards to retail stores to obtain cash.

Both defendants would eventually forward the fraudulently obtained goods, gift cards and cash to other members of the conspiracy for their personal enrichment.

Adeleke was accused of gaining access to online victims’ bank accounts in the US and transferring thousands of dollars to Harlow and other members of his syndicate.

Harlow was sentenced in June 2021, but in his first appearance in court, Adeleke waived his detention hearing and was remanded to the custody of the US Marshals.

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