Ghana arrests Nigerian man wanted by FBI, INTERPOL in major international cyber fraud case

• Ghana has arrested a Nigerian national wanted by the FBI and INTERPOL over alleged cyber fraud.

• The suspect is accused of using compromised US bank cards to carry out fraudulent POS transactions.

• Authorities say investigations are ongoing to arrest other members of the alleged syndicate.

In a statement, the CSA said the arrest followed "a major intelligence-led cybercrime investigation" conducted jointly with the Ghana Police Service and supported by international law enforcement agencies.

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"The arrest represents a significant breakthrough in the fight against cross-border cyber-enabled financial crime," the Authority said, adding that the operation followed "months of intelligence gathering and coordinated investigations" involving INTERPOL and the FBI.

The suspect, identified as Aderinsola Oluwanifemi Adeleye, a Nigerian national residing at Oyarifa in Accra, has been arraigned before court over alleged fraudulent Point of Sale (POS) transactions involving compromised Citi Bank debit cards issued in the United States.

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According to the CSA, the case began after Ecobank Ghana reported suspicious POS transactions carried out at Haatso Shell Filling Station and Osu Total Filling Station using two US-issued Citi Bank debit cards.

Investigators said two fuel pump attendants later identified the suspect as the individual behind the fraudulent transactions after he allegedly returned to Haatso Shell Filling Station to conduct another transaction.

Police arrested him at the scene and recovered a Beretta pistol loaded with two rounds of 9mm ammunition and a Citi Bank VISA debit card.

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The CSA said subsequent searches at the suspect's office and residence uncovered additional ammunition and electronic devices, which have been retained for forensic examination.

During investigations, the suspect allegedly admitted using the recovered debit card and claimed it had been sent to him by an individual residing in the United States with an available balance of about US$10,000, of which he had reportedly used approximately US$8,000 before his arrest.

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Investigators also allege that the suspect and accomplices visited several fuel stations, processed fictitious fuel purchases using stolen or compromised bank cards, and received cash instead of fuel.

The Authority further alleged that proceeds from the scheme were used to acquire properties, including a four-bedroom house, a cement block manufacturing factory, a Nissan pick-up vehicle and other assets believed to be proceeds of crime.

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"The case highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber-enabled financial crimes and underscores the importance of intelligence-driven investigations, inter-agency collaboration, and international law enforcement cooperation in combating transnational cybercrime affecting Ghana's financial sector," the CSA stated.

The Ghana Police Service and the CSA say investigations are ongoing to arrest other members of the alleged syndicate and trace additional assets linked to the suspected fraud.