Nigerian-Born US Inspector Indicted for Diverting $1.67M Building Repair Funds
A former building inspector with the City of St. Louis, United States, has been indicted on federal wire fraud charges for allegedly steering approximately $1.67 million in public funds intended for the repair of decrepit buildings to himself and his relatives. The defendant, identified as Adebanjo “Banjo” Popoola, a Nigerian-born engineer, was indicted in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis on March 12, 2026, and is currently in custody after making his initial court appearance.
Details of the Alleged Fraud Scheme
According to the indictment, while serving as a building division inspector for the City of St. Louis, Popoola orchestrated a scheme to divert money from two key city programs: the Stable Communities STL program and the Prop NS program. These funds were designated for renovating and rehabilitating privately-owned buildings in need of critical repairs.
The indictment alleges that Popoola funneled the money into companies owned by his sister and his wife. Specifically, his sister, who resides in Texas and has no construction background, registered a Missouri-based company called Farst Construction LLC in October 2022. Additionally, Popoola’s longtime paramour, who later became his wife, incorporated another Missouri business named Premier Finish Contractors LLC in February 2021.
Financial Diversion and Contract Awards
Prosecutors claim that Popoola directed about $1.4 million from the Stable Communities STL program and approximately $339,500 from the Prop NS program to Farst Construction for purported rehabilitation work. Furthermore, he caused around $1.3 million from the Stable Communities program and about $1 million from the Prop NS program to be awarded to Premier Finish Contractors.
In total, Popoola is accused of influencing the award of 13 contracts to Farst and 10 contracts to Premier out of 59 contracts under the Stable Communities program, accounting for roughly 42% of the $7.99 million awarded. Under the Prop NS program, he allegedly caused 8 contracts to go to Farst and 23 to Premier out of 144 contracts, representing about 24% of the $5.6 million total.
It is important to note that the Stable Communities program was funded through federal American Rescue Plan Act funds received by the city, while the Prop NS program was supported by city-issued general obligation bonds.
False Certifications and Personal Gain
The indictment further states that Farst and Premier did not perform the contracted work on multiple properties. Despite this, Popoola falsely certified to the city’s Comptroller that the work had been completed properly and in full. The funds were deposited into joint bank accounts shared by Popoola with his wife and sister, facilitating the diversion.
In one illustrative example, when Farst received a $29,500 check from the Prop NS program in February 2023, Popoola’s sister immediately issued herself a $15,000 check from the business account, deposited it into her personal bank, and then wrote a $10,000 check to Popoola.
Overall, Popoola, his sister, and his wife allegedly obtained about $1.67 million after paying subcontractors for purported work. The indictment details that Popoola used these illicit funds for various personal expenses, including:
- Residential mortgage payments
- Multiple vehicle purchases and repairs
- Travel expenses
- His September 2023 Hawaii wedding
- Casino gambling
- Dining and entertainment costs
False Statements and Legal Proceedings
Popoola is accused of lying on city documents by falsely stating that he had no personal interest, direct or indirect, in any contract with the City of St. Louis and that he had no business interests. Similarly, his sister and wife allegedly made false claims on contract documents, asserting that no city official had any private interest in the projects.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with substantial cooperation from the City of St. Louis Comptroller’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case. It is crucial to emphasize that charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
