Five Nigerians arrested in connection with $2m credit card fraud
Police identified those arrested as
Mariam A. Salau, 47;
Labake Adejoke Onifade, 42;
Ajala Olasode Ajao, 42;
Eno Monday Ekong, 37,
Olagunju Musliudeen Yusseff, 40, all of them of Los Angeles, USA
Simi Valley police in Los Angeles, USA announced on Wednesday the arrests of four suspects in connection with what investigators call a "Nigerian fraud ring" they say caused loses of more than $2 million through the fraudulent use of credit cards.
A $2-million Nigerian credit card fraud ring was broken with a raid on a Canoga Park residence, Simi Valley Police announced Wednesday.
Four suspects, all of Nigerian origin, were arrested after a six-week investigation that culminated in searches at Canoga Park and Los Angeles locations, they said.
Last Thursday, detectives raided residences in 7300 block of Variel Avenue in Canoga Park and the 7100 block of Ramsgate Avenue in Los Angeles. They recovered new children's clothing, 15 iPads, and more than $100,000 cash, they said.
The suspects allegedly had credit information stolen in the United States and Mexico that was used to fraudulently obtain credit cards, according to police.
The credit cards were used to buy several thousand dollars in Target gift cards at a Target store in Simi Valley, according to police. Similar purchases were made in Ventura, San Diego, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, police said.
Police said the six-week investigation began in March when a woman bought several thousand dollars' worth of gift cards at a Target store in Simi Valley.
She used fraudulently obtained credit cards to buy the gift cards, police said.
Similar transactions occurred elsewhere in Southern California, police said.
Police said they identified four suspects of Nigerian origin who lived in Los Angeles County and would commit similar crimes there, as well as in Ventura, Los Angeles, San Diego, Kern, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Various credit-card issuers were affected by the fraud and losses exceeded $2 million, investigators said.
"Most of the victims were credited back any losses they sustain, but had to file affidavits with their credit issuer as well as police reports to document the losses occurred," police said in a statement.
Police arrested the suspects after serving two search warrants, one in the San Fernando Valley and the other elsewhere in Los Angeles.
Police said they recovered stolen property during the searches, including children's clothing and about 15 iPads, as well as more than $100,000 in cash.
Police identified those arrested as Mariam A. Salau, 47; Labake Adejoke Onifade, 42; Ajala Olasode Ajao, 42; and Eno Monday Ekong, 37, all of Los Angeles.
A fifth person, Olayanju Musliudeen Yusseff, 40, of Los Angeles, was detained on an immigration hold, police said.
She used fraudulently obtained credit cards to buy the gift cards, police said.
Similar transactions occurred elsewhere in Southern California, police said.
Police said they identified four suspects of Nigerian origin who lived in Los Angeles County and would commit similar crimes there, as well as in Ventura, Los Angeles, San Diego, Kern, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Various credit-card issuers were affected by the fraud and losses exceeded $2 million, investigators said.
"Most of the victims were credited back any losses they sustain, but had to file affidavits with their credit issuer as well as police reports to document the losses occurred," police said in a statement.
Police arrested the suspects after serving two search warrants, one in the San Fernando Valley and the other elsewhere in Los Angeles.
Police said they recovered stolen property during the searches, including children's clothing and about 15 iPads, as well as more than $100,000 in cash.
Police identified those arrested as Mariam A. Salau, 47; Labake Adejoke Onifade, 42; Ajala Olasode Ajao, 42; and Eno Monday Ekong, 37, all of Los Angeles.
A fifth person, Olayanju Musliudeen Yusseff, 40, of Los Angeles, was detained on an immigration hold, police said.
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