Nigerian residing in the United States, Oluwole Adegboruwa, and his accomplice, Enrique Isong, have been sentenced to a combined 40 years in prison for orchestrating the sale and distribution of a banned drug via the dark web across multiple states in the U.S.
A statement from the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, shared on Thursday, revealed that the U.S. District Court also ordered Adegboruwa to forfeit $20 million.
According to the statement, Adegboruwa led a drug trafficking network, directing his associates on how to package and distribute drugs purchased by customers from dark web marketplaces he controlled.
The statement detailed that between October 2016 and May 2019, Adegboruwa sold and distributed over 300,000 oxycodone pills, generating a substantial $9 million in revenue from the illegal trade.
Isong, who had already been sentenced to 10 years in October 2024, was part of the operation, while Adegboruwa received a 30-year sentence in November 2024.
The statement read, “Oluwole Adegboruwa, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada, the primary defendant and mastermind behind a multi-million dollar dark web drug trafficking scheme, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to undergo lifetime supervised release and forfeit more than $20 million, marking one of the largest forfeitures in the history of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.”
“This sentence, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parish, follows a May 2024 jury conviction of Adegboruwa and his co-defendant Enrique Isong, 49, from Los Angeles, California, on multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and money laundering. Isong was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release on October 23, 2024.”
Court documents, evidence presented during the trial, and statements made at Adegboruwa’s sentencing hearing outlined that from October 2016 to May 2019, Adegboruwa sold over 300,000 oxycodone pills on dark web platforms to customers across the United States.
The jury concluded that Adegboruwa ran a criminal enterprise that generated approximately $9.1 million in drug profits.
Further detailing the operation, the statement noted that Adegboruwa admitted to controlling the illicit drug sales and accepting payments in cryptocurrency, which he then converted to local currency.
The statement continued, “The jury found that Adegboruwa was undoubtedly in charge of the illegal narcotics operation. Each participant in his network held specific roles, such as sourcing and procuring pharmacy-grade pills, which were then resold through dark web marketplaces. Others were responsible for packaging and shipping the pills to customers.”
“At trial, Adegboruwa acknowledged that he controlled the sales on dark web marketplaces and the financial accounts, including cryptocurrency accounts, through which the organization received the majority of its earnings. He also admitted to being the one who initiated the online dark web drug sales operation.”
Reacting to the verdict, the DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge, Jonathan Pullen, highlighted that Adegboruwa used cryptocurrency to conceal his criminal profits.
He emphasized the DEA’s commitment to eradicating drug trafficking and ensuring that criminals cannot hide their activities.
“Adegboruwa’s criminal drug enterprise was complex, sophisticated, and generated millions of dollars concealed in cryptocurrency transactions. This sentencing serves as a strong reminder that the DEA remains unwavering in its pursuit of justice and that drug traffickers cannot conceal their illicit activities, even within the hidden corners of the dark web,” Pullen remarked.
