ALBANY, N.Y. – Two leaders of a nationwide bank fraud conspiracy have been arrested in connection with a scheme that has targeted credit unions all over the country since at least December 2021, according to authorities. In addition, two other people have been arrested in relation to the fraud ring, and four more will be arrested, according to officials.
According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made by prosecutors in court, beginning in at least December 2021, Oluwaseun Adekoya, a/k/a “John Calling,” age 38, a Nigerian citizen residing in Newark, N.J. and David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Tajudeen Dosunmu,” a/k/a “David James,” a/k/a “Tony James,” a/k/a “James Bush,” age 59, a Nigerian citizen residing in Brooklyn, N.Y., obtained the personal identifying information of scores of individuals who banked at credit unions throughout the United States.
“The credit unions were members of a shared branching network that allowed customers of member credit unions to withdraw funds from their accounts at other member credit unions by presenting an identification with their photograph, their account number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York said.
Fake Identities
According to the indictment, the defendants exploited this network by creating fake identifications in the names of real credit union customers, but with photographs of other individuals, whom they employed to conduct fraudulent transactions at credit unions all over the country.
In total, the indictment charges Adekoya and Daniyan with orchestrating more than 200 fraudulent transactions, and fraudulently obtaining more than $900,000, which they allegedly used to purchase luxury items, including watches, a vehicle, and high-end clothing and apparel.
The fraud was perpetrated in Albany, Clinton, Rensselaer, and Saratoga counties in the Northern District of New York, and all over the country, the U.S. attorney said.
Arrests Made
Adekoya was arrested and appeared in federal court in the District of New Jersey. He was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 14, 2023. Daniyan was arrested and appeared yesterday in federal court in the Eastern District of New York, and was ordered detained pending transfer to the Northern District of New York.
According to authorities, also arrested were Gaysha Kennedy, age 45, of Brooklyn, and Danielle Cappetti, 45, of the Bronx, N.Y. The arrests of four additional defendants are pending, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Law enforcement has seized more than $45,000 in proceeds of the conspiracy, and an estimated tens of thousands of dollars in luxury jewelry and merchandise.
The Charges
The charges include, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office:
- Adekoya is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Daniyan is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Kennedy is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Cappetti is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
The bank fraud conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 30 years in prison and the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory term of twp years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed on the bank fraud charge, prosecutors said.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, special agent in charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).