Joint Operation Leads to Arrest of Suspect in Accra
A Nigerian national wanted by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has been arrested in Ghana following a joint intelligence-led operation involving the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), the Ghana Police Service, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other international law enforcement partners. The suspect, Aderinsola Oluwanifemi Adeleye, is accused of involvement in a cross-border financial fraud scheme.
Adeleye was arraigned before a Ghanaian court after investigators linked him to a cyber-enabled financial crime syndicate. The group allegedly used compromised debit cards issued by a U.S. bank to carry out fraudulent Point of Sale (POS) transactions at several fuel stations across the country.
Investigation Triggered by Suspicious Transactions
Authorities said the investigation was launched after a complaint was received regarding suspicious transactions processed through POS terminals at selected fuel stations in Accra. The transactions were traced to Citi Bank debit cards issued in the United States, prompting a coordinated probe involving local and international security agencies.
Preliminary findings led to the arrest of two fuel pump attendants, who allegedly admitted assisting the suspect and another individual in processing fraudulent transactions. According to investigators, the attendants claimed Adeleye frequently visited the stations and used bank cards connected to mobile devices to authorize fake fuel purchases before receiving cash instead of fuel.
Arrest and Recovery of Evidence
Police arrested Adeleye when he allegedly returned to one of the filling stations to carry out another transaction. During a search conducted at the scene, officers recovered a Citi Bank VISA debit card and a Beretta pistol loaded with two rounds of live ammunition. A subsequent search of premises linked to the suspect at Katamanso in Accra uncovered additional live ammunition and an empty shell casing concealed inside an office drawer.
The recovered items have been retained by investigators as evidence while inquiries continue into their origin and possible use. Security officials disclosed that Adeleye had already been under surveillance by the Cyber Security Authority as part of an ongoing intelligence operation targeting cyber-enabled financial crimes before his arrest.
Fraud Scheme Details and Asset Tracing
Further investigations involving Ecobank Ghana confirmed that the bank had received fraud alerts through VISA International relating to unauthorized transactions on Citi Bank customer debit cards. Investigators believe the suspect and accomplices still at large operated a scheme in which fraudulent purchases were processed through POS terminals before cash equivalent to the fake transactions was handed over, allowing the group to unlawfully obtain funds linked to compromised bank cards.
Law enforcement agencies also suspect that proceeds from the alleged fraud were used to acquire several assets, including a four-bedroom house, a cement block manufacturing business, a pickup vehicle, and other properties that investigators believe may represent proceeds of crime. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to trace additional assets, identify and arrest other members of the suspected criminal network, and analyze electronic evidence recovered during the investigation to determine the full extent of the alleged operation and any international connections.
Legal Proceedings and Presumption of Innocence
The case remains before the courts, and Aderinsola Oluwanifemi Adeleye has been charged but has not been convicted. Under Ghanaian law, he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
