A United States-based Nigerian, Oluwole Adegboruwa, and his accomplice, Enrique Isong, have been sentenced to a combined 40 years in prison for their roles in running a dark web drug trafficking operation.
A statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah on Thursday confirmed that Adegboruwa, 54, was sentenced to 30 years, while Isong, 49, received a 10-year sentence.
Adegboruwa was also ordered to forfeit $20 million, marking one of the largest financial penalties in the district’s history.
From October 2016 to May 2019, Adegboruwa led a syndicate that distributed over 300,000 oxycodone pills through dark web marketplaces across the U.S., amassing illicit proceeds of over $9 million.
Court documents revealed that he orchestrated the procurement, packaging, and distribution of the drugs, with payments processed through cryptocurrency to conceal the operation.
Isong, convicted alongside Adegboruwa in May 2024, was sentenced earlier in October 2024 to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his involvement in the scheme.
Judge Jill N. Parish of the U.S. District Court described Adegboruwa as the mastermind of a sophisticated criminal enterprise, sentencing him to 30 years of imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release.
The sentence also included the forfeiture of over $20 million in assets linked to his drug trafficking operation.
“Adegboruwa’s criminal drug enterprise was complex, sophisticated, and generated millions of dollars in profits concealed in cryptocurrency transactions,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent Jonathan Pullen.
The DEA emphasized its commitment to combating drug trafficking, even on the dark web. “This sentencing is a stark reminder that drug traffickers cannot hide their illicit activities, even in the secretive expanses of the dark web,” Pullen added.
Defendants: Oluwole Adegboruwa, 54, sentenced to 30 years; Enrique Isong, 49, sentenced to 10 years.
Crimes: Conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and money laundering.
Illicit Proceeds: Over $9 million generated from the sale of 300,000 oxycodone pills.
Assets Forfeited: $20 million linked to Adegboruwa’s operation.
This case serves as a landmark in the fight against dark web drug trafficking, underscoring the severe consequences for those involved in such criminal activities.