The United States Government, through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has updated its public register of convicted fraudsters slated for deportation, with five notorious Nigerian cybercriminals among the 124 Nigerians flagged on the portal.
The database, known as the “Worst of the Worst” (WOW) portal, highlights Nigerians convicted of major federal crimes who are prioritised for deportation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Here is a detailed profile of the five popular Nigerians now awaiting deportation.
1. Obinwanne Okeke (Invictus Obi)
Perhaps the most recognised name on the list, Obinwanne Okeke, widely known as Invictus Obi, was once celebrated internationally and made the prestigious Forbes “30 Under 30” list of Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs in 2016.
His empire crumbled when the FBI arrested him for masterminding an $11 million global cyber-intrusion and Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme that targeted Unatrac Holding Limited, a heavy machinery supplier, diverting massive payments through hacked email systems.
He was sentenced to 10 years in a US federal prison in 2021 and has since been transferred to ICE and placed on the priority deportation list.
2. Oriyomi Aloba
Oriyomi Aloba carried out one of the most audacious cyberattacks on the list, targeting the US justice system itself.
He successfully hacked into the Los Angeles Superior Court computer system and hijacked its servers to send over 2 million malicious phishing emails to unsuspecting recipients, with the aim of stealing credit card details and personal identity data.
US federal authorities sentenced him to 145 months, equivalent to over 12 years, in prison in 2019. He has now been officially listed on the DHS portal for deportation to Nigeria.
3. Chibundu Anuebunwa
Chibundu Anuebunwa specialised in high-level corporate impersonation, serving as a key player in a transnational cyber fraud ring that ran a $2.5 million BEC scheme.
His team specialised in spoofing and hacking corporate emails to impersonate high-ranking executives, tricking companies worldwide into executing fraudulent wire transfers.
He was sentenced to 66 months, equivalent to 5.5 years, in federal prison in 2023, and his profile and photo are now active on the US deportation registry.
4. Quazeem Adeyinka
Quazeem Adeyinka exploited US government emergency funds during the global pandemic crisis, participating in a wire fraud conspiracy that used stolen identities to file fraudulent claims for COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits.
The scheme successfully siphoned over $2.2 million from US taxpayer-funded relief programmes. He was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison and has been marked on the priority list for deportation.
5. Olaolu Alabi
Olaolu Alabi, operating out of Owings Mills, Maryland, was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
He defrauded individuals and businesses of over $1.5 million using stolen identities to claim pandemic relief, personally pocketing at least $500,000, part of which he spent on a luxury trip to Hawaii for himself and his friends.
He was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison and is now awaiting repatriation to Nigeria on the DHS list.
While the US Government has published the names and photographs of all individuals on the list, the DHS has not released specific deportation flight dates.
Under US law, each individual’s deportation will be processed systematically as they complete their prison sentences or exhaust their remaining legal options.
