Greed Abroad: FBI Nabs Ajibola Oduntan Over $100K 'Wicked' Broadway Ticket Scheme

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Ajibola Oduntan, a 47-year-old Nigerian-born Irish citizen

The fraudulent purchases triggered chargebacks from credit card companies after the performances, leaving Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) to absorb the financial loss.

The term 'scam' is frequently used synonymously with fraud or deception and is sometimes conflated with misinformation and disinformation.

Ajibola Oduntan, residing in Ireland, was arrested by the FBI for orchestrating a scam involving $100,000 in Broadway tickets for the musical 'Wicked' in Kentucky.

Authorities allege that Oduntan purchased over 60 tickets using stolen credit card numbers and resold them on platforms like StubHub. His action caused substantial financial losses to Kentucky Performing Arts due to the refunds demanded by credit card companies. Despite attempts to mask his identity using VPNs, FBI agents traced the proceeds from StubHub sales to PayPal accounts linked to Oduntan.

A co-conspirator, known online as 'Stacy Marthins,' reportedly sold an additional 77 tickets tied to the same scheme.

According to federal prosecutors, Oduntan allegedly stole credit card information from numerous U.S. citizens to purchase at least 61 tickets to Wicked, which he then resold on StubHub, a popular ticket resale platform.

Oduntan is accused of using multiple email addresses and phone numbers to avoid detection. The scheme unraveled when U.S. travel documents linked a phone number to one of the fraudulent accounts, leading FBI investigators to Oduntan

Special Agent Daniel W. Heath uncovered a complex network of transactions involving three StubHub accounts and several PayPal accounts linked to the email addresses fenandexadex@gmail.com, romanslady001@gmail.com, and samesonbar@gmail.com. Court filings revealed that nearly $350,000 was funneled from StubHub into these PayPal accounts and subsequently transferred to Oduntan’s Revolut and Allied Irish Bank accounts in Ireland.

The breakthrough came when Oduntan applied for a U.S. visa. The phone number he provided matched one used in the fraudulent transactions, linking him directly to the scam.

Greed and How the Diaspora Got Tangled in the Web of Scam

It's all about cruising the boulevard while your wallet fills up faster than your parking meter— The greed and flashy lifestyle. ‘Get-rich-quick— ‘ Why hustle honestly when you can hustle flashy? ‘I made it... kind of.’ Because nothing screams success like a ‘bumber’ car and a bank account that rivals your neighbor’s, all earned in the most scenic roundabout way.

This trend has been notably seen among Nigerian diaspora communities engaged in various frauds and scams abroad.

Africans’ diaspora communities in particular

How misinformation contributes to a powerful enabling role by creating a distorted picture of opportunities, risks, and rewards.

Returning home as perceived 'big men' of success stories further fuels the drive by glorifying flashy lifestyles and quick riches, eroding moral boundaries, and encouraging a culture where wealth is valued over ethics. People back home are drawn to the image 'man dem werr gold-chain wae heng from neck to toe.'

Oduntan’s get-rich-quick scam fell apart, as he was unaware that the FBI routinely screens visa applications.

An arrest warrant was issued by Magistrate Judge Regina S. Edwards, but it was sealed until Oduntan arrived in the U.S. in late August.

Oduntan was taken into custody at the Grayson County Detention Center after pleading not guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was formally indicted by a grand jury on September 3, and his trial is scheduled to begin on November 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.

**Footnote:** Scammers often manipulate their targets by exploiting fear and greed, as these emotions are powerful and universal.

The authorities (FBI) and experts advise buyers to purchase tickets directly from venues and use secure payment methods to mitigate such risks.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital