Gambiaj.com – (LOGAN, United States) – A court in the United States has issued an arrest warrant for a man believed to be operating from The Gambia in connection with an alleged international fraud scheme involving merchandise worth approximately $246,000.
According to court documents, Olaniyi Joseph Omoyele, 39, is wanted on allegations that he defrauded businesses in the US state of Utah by ordering seven box trucks of merchandise and allegedly failing to pay for the goods.
The arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday by Judge Angela Fonnesbeck of the Logan First District Court following an investigation by the Logan City Police Department.
Investigators allege that Omoyele is linked to a wider fraud operation in which vendors were deceived into shipping large quantities of merchandise without receiving payment.
The investigation reportedly began after a representative of a shipping company alerted the affected businesses that the consignments were being delivered to an Extra Space Storage facility in the Bronx borough of New York. The information prompted one of the businesses to contact law enforcement.
According to investigators, no official delivery records were found, while surveillance footage from the storage facility failed to identify those who collected the shipments.
Court documents state that detectives later used subpoenas and electronic service provider warrants to trace multiple email accounts allegedly used in the scheme.
One of the email addresses reportedly impersonated a well-known grocery business by using its logo in email signatures to gain the trust of suppliers.
Authorities said data obtained from Africell, a telecommunications provider operating in Africa, linked the email accounts to Omoyele and showed internet activity originating from The Gambia.
Investigators also cited a Google Drive account allegedly associated with Omoyele, which contained photographs, screenshots, and emails showing wholesale pricing for merchandise similar to that ordered from the affected businesses.
Although investigators believe Omoyele is originally from Nigeria, court records indicate that he holds a Class B residential permit in The Gambia. Combined with the internet activity traced to the country, US authorities believe he was operating the alleged scheme while based in The Gambia.
The investigation also uncovered internet searches allegedly linked to the suspect, including one asking, “How many days shipping from Logan, UT to New York?” which investigators say supports their case.
Omoyele has been charged with two first-degree felonies: communications fraud involving more than $5,000 and unlawful use of technology to commit fraud exceeding $5,000.
It remains unclear whether US authorities have sought the assistance of Gambian law enforcement agencies or initiated any extradition proceedings. Gambian authorities have not publicly commented on the case.
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