A Nigerian man identified as Edikan Adiakpan faces up to 20 years in jail in the US for getting involved in a multimillion-dollar fraud targeting a veterans’ health group.

According to a report by the US Department of Justice’s website on Thursday, security operatives arrested Adiakpan, the founder of Akama Lifestyle, a company that provides exotic and luxury travel experiences, over his alleged role in a large-scale business email compromise and money laundering scheme.

“The scheme allegedly defrauded organisations across eight states, including a California-based medical research group focused on developing treatments for US military veterans,” the report read.

“The arrest was announced by the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Nicholas J. Ganjei, who said Adiakpan is expected to make his initial court appearance before Magistrate Judge Peter Bray in Houston.

“Adiakpan was named in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on June 11, charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmission business.”

The US Department of Justice stated that Adiakpan and his co-conspirators committed the fraud in 2021 by sending spoofed emails that impersonated legitimate vendors.

“They were allegedly tricked into sending payments to bank accounts the fraudsters controlled instead of the actual suppliers,” the report added.

“The charges further allege the conspirators laundered the funds by quickly transferring the money between multiple bank accounts they controlled. They then allegedly converted the funds into cashier’s checks. Adiakpan allegedly cashed the checks and kept a percentage as a fee.”

Also, according to the report, a second Nigerian, Ayobami Omoniyi, had earlier been charged in connection with the same scheme, even as the 26-year-old is currently awaiting sentencing before U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen.

“If convicted, Adiakpan faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges and up to five years for the illegal money transmitting,” the report stated, revealing that each conviction carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine.