2 Nigerians Scammed $13M From MN Companies Using Fake Emails: Feds

MINNEAPOLIS – Two Nigerian nationals have been indicted for scamming millions from Minnesota healthcare companies by using fake Fairview Health email accounts, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced Thursday.

Shodiya Babatunde, 43, and Jamui Ahmed, 31, are citizens and residents of Nigeria and remain fugitives from justice, authorities said.

In total, the two siphoned off more than $13 million in payments intended for Fairview Health from Minnesota companies, prosecutors said.

The scam lasted from October 2020 through 2024, according to investigators.

Babatunde and Ahmed created a fake internet domain designed to appear as though it was controlled by Fairview Health, authorities said.

They then created fake email accounts designed to look as though they belonged to several Fairview Health executives, according to prosecutors.

Babatunde and Ahmed used the fake emails to instruct companies to send payments intended for Fairview Health to new bank accounts they had created, authorities said.

The new accounts, which appeared legitimate, were actually under the defendants' control, allowing them to siphon off funds that should have gone to Fairview Health, according to prosecutors.

Babatunde and Ahmed also carried out a "phishing" scheme to fraudulently obtain names, passwords, and access to payment accounts, authorities said.