CLEVELAND — Blessing Adeleke, 31, of Nigeria was convicted in a federal court Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and 16 counts of bank fraud for his role in a conspiracy to obtain stolen financial information, make fraudulent and unauthorized purchases of retail goods and gift cards and steal funds from victim bank accounts in Northern Ohio and elsewhere.
The fraudulent activity took place from January 2014 through October 2016 when Adeleke was an administrator for an online marketplace, Shad0w.info. Through this marketplace, compromised data including credit card numbers and personally identifiable information was sold.
At least one victim from Northeast Ohio was frauded by Adeleke. He gained access to a bank account of a victim in Pepper Pike. Through illegal access to this account, he sent 16 fraudulent checks.
Adeleke was assisted by a co-defendant named Kyle Ann Harlow. With Harlow, Adeleke purchased items such as retail goods and gift cards for themselves using their victim's bank accounts.
After purchasing the goods, they would return them to retail stores to obtain cash.
Harlow previously pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and was sentenced in 2021.
Adeleke is scheduled to be sentenced on January 18, 2023.
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