BISMARCK: Interim United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced, that on April 11, 2022, Kolawole Bamidele Akande, a/k/a Patric Elis Ferguson, a/k/a David Louis Wallace, a/ka/ Ramos Joseph Hogan made an initial appearance in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota on charges of 1) Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud; 2) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 3) Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud; 4) Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; 5) Mail Fraud; and 6) Money Laundering.
Akande appeared at this hearing in Bismarck, ND, after being extradited from the United Kingdom. The court ordered Akande be detained pending trial.
As alleged in the Indictment, the defendant participated in a complicated computer intrusion scheme targeting a Dickinson, ND company which was allegedly defrauded out of approximately $348,000.00. The defendant, and other codefendants, fraudulently obtained checks from the Dickinson company through the mail and deposited these checks in fraudulently obtained accounts in financial institutions located within the State of Texas. Once the funds from these checks were available for withdrawal and transfer, the defendant, and other codefendants, withdrew and transferred the funds to conceal and disguise their nature, location, source, and ownership.
The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota previously sentenced:
• Co-Defendant Olawale Sule a/k/a Brand King Mohammed, a/k/a John Thomas, on February 17, 2021, to serve two years’ imprisonment and payment of restitution on a charge of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.
• Co-Defendant Oluwafemi Elijah Olasode, on September 7, 2021, to time served imprisonment and payment of restitution on a charge of Misprision of Felony.
An Indictment is an accusation and notice of charges. The defendant is presumed innocent under the law.
Link for Prior Press Release Unsealing Indictment is located below:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/federal-grand-jury-indicts-nigerian-nationals-multiple-fraud-schemes-against-dickinson-nd
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District and Eastern District of Texas, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek
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