A major intelligence-led cybercrime investigation involving the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), the Ghana Police Service, and international law enforcement partners has culminated in the arrest and prosecution of a Nigerian national linked to suspected transnational cyber-enabled financial crimes.
The accused, Aderinsola Oluwanifemi Adeleye, who resides at Oyarifa in Accra and operates a cement block manufacturing business, was arrested after months of coordinated investigations. The operation benefited from investigative cooperation and information sharing with INTERPOL and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), both of which had identified him as a person of significant interest in connection with compromised U.S. banking cards.
The Case
The investigation began on 25 June 2026, when Ecobank Ghana PLC flagged suspicious Point of Sale (POS) transactions involving two Citi Bank debit cards issued in the United States. The unauthorized transactions were traced to POS terminals at Haatso Shell Filling Station and Osu Total Filling Station.
Two fuel pump attendants suspected of facilitating the fraudulent transactions were arrested and later identified Adeleye as the mastermind. That same evening, Adeleye allegedly returned to Haatso Shell to conduct another transaction and was apprehended by police.
A search at the time of arrest uncovered a Beretta pistol loaded with two rounds of 9mm ammunition and a Citi Bank VISA debit card. Subsequent searches at his office, AA Global Homes Construction Limited, revealed 15 rounds of live ammunition and an empty shell casing.
Evidence and Confession
Investigators later searched Adeleye’s residence at Oyarifa, recovering several electronic devices, including two mobile phones believed to have been used in the commission of the offences. Forensic examination of these devices is ongoing.
In his cautioned statement, Adeleye admitted using the Citi Bank debit card, claiming it had been sent to him by an associate in the United States with a balance of US$10,000, of which he had already spent about US$8,000.
Investigations revealed that Adeleye and accomplices connived with fuel attendants to process fictitious fuel purchases, receiving cash instead of fuel. Proceeds from the scheme were allegedly invested in assets including a four-bedroom storey building, a cement block factory at Katamanso, and a black Nissan ZNA pick-up vehicle.
Ongoing Investigations
Authorities confirmed that Adeleye has been formally charged and arraigned before court. Efforts are underway to trace additional assets suspected to have been acquired through illicit proceeds and to apprehend other members of the criminal network.
The case underscores the growing sophistication of cyber-enabled financial crimes and highlights the importance of intelligence-driven investigations, inter-agency collaboration, and international cooperation in protecting Ghana’s financial sector.
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