In a major development, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has officially announced a reward of $10,000 (approximately ₦14 million) for credible information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Olumide Adebiyi Adediran, a Nigerian national who has been a fugitive for more than two decades.
Adediran is wanted in the Central District of Illinois on charges including bank fraud, identity document fraud, and unauthorized credit card transactions.
According to the FBI’s public wanted notice, the criminal case traces back to August 2001, when Adediran allegedly entered a bank in Champaign, Illinois and attempted to withdraw funds using a fraudulent check.
He is also accused of exploiting stolen personal information from U.S. citizens to open bank and charge accounts.
As the trial approached, Adediran fled the Central District of Illinois at the end of December 2001, prior to the commencement of federal proceedings.
On January 2, 2002, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana, charging him with Violation of Conditions of Release.
- Tinubu Flags Off $100m Southeast Gas Pipeline Project to Boost Industrial Growth
President Bola Tinubu has flagged off a $100 million gas…Read More “Tinubu Flags Off $100m Southeast Gas Pipeline Project to Boost Industrial Growth” »
- NCC Raises Alarm Over AI-Powered Cyberattacks, Warns of Threats to Telecoms, Banks and National Security
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned that the growing…
The FBI’s wanted poster provides the following identifying details for Adediran:
Date of Birth (used): October 11, 1968
Height: 5 ft 11 in
Weight: 200 pounds
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
He is known to use multiple aliases, including but not limited to Kevin Olumide Adediran, Eric O. Williams, Maxo Alexandre, Olumide Adkins, and Edward N. Anderson, among others.
The FBI also notes that he has ties to South Florida as a possible location connection.
The $10,000 reward, roughly equivalent to ₦14 million underscores the seriousness of the case and the FBI’s renewed efforts to secure leads after more than twenty years in which Adediran’s exact whereabouts remained unknown. The bureau is urging anyone with information to contact their local FBI field office, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or to submit an anonymous tip via the FBI’s official online channels.
This announcement revives public attention on a long-dormant case, offering renewed hope for resolution. For authorities, such fugitive cases are challenging due to time elapsed, possible changes in identity or location, and the use of aliases. Meanwhile, the public reward serves both as an incentive for insiders or observers to come forward and as a signal that the U.S. legal apparatus continues to pursue accountability even after decades.
