Eight People Indicted in Connection with Nationwide Conspiracy Targeting Credit Unions
Fraud Exploited Shared Branching Network of Credit Unions with Losses of Nearly $1 Million
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.
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), made the announcement.
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, New Jersey, 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, New York, 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 network was designed to allow customers of localized credit unions easier access to their accounts when traveling throughout the country.
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 over 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 charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Adekoya was arrested and appeared yesterday in federal court in the District of New Jersey. He was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for December 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.
Also arrested yesterday were Gaysha Kennedy, age 45, of Brooklyn, and Danielle Cappetti, 45, of the Bronx, New York. The arrests of four additional defendants are pending.
Law enforcement has seized over $45,000 in proceeds of the conspiracy, and an estimated tens of thousands of dollars in luxury jewelry and merchandise.
The following charges were unsealed yesterday:
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; and
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 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed on the bank fraud charge. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
FBI is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.