On the 18th of February 2019, a 43 year old Nigerian by name Kazeem Akinwale, also known as Ola Gapiano was convicted of several money laundering crimes which included : possession of articles for use in fraud (computer and phones), possessing criminal property (beneficiary bank accounts that processed £6,087,596.37); transferring criminal property (using secondary bank accounts he also held), and acquiring criminal property (his commission of £73,270.86).
Kazeem is a prolific money launderer who has processed more than £6m over the years. He has now been convicted after a National Crime Agency investigation which had been ongoing since 2016.
Akinwale had tried to divert the payment for a customer’s invoice into a new bank account by spoofing the email address of an employee of Christie auction house. This event that occurred in March 2016 was reported to NCA and that initiated the investigation.
In April 2016, he was arrested at home and officer recovered computers and phones all belonging to him. The devices contained numerous references to money laundering fraudulent cash, and references to bank accounts belonging to worldwide victims and also those being used to receive and transfer the money.
“Money laundering is a very sophisticated crime and we must be equally sophisticated.”
His alias name Ola
“Every serious and organized crime group relies on cash flow, so taking Akinwale out of action will disrupt very many criminal networks.”
His sentencing is due to take place at a later date.
