Kenya has been mentioned in a US$370 million bank fraud case involving 14 defendants accused of participating in a nationwide bank account takeover conspiracy targeting thousands of Americans.
According to an indictment announced by the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas on November 3, 2026, 35-year-old Muhamed Dieye of Dallas, Texas, allegedly led the scheme.
“Dieye and his family vacated his Dallas residence, shipped most of his possessions to Kenya and travelled with his family to New York to board a one-way flight to Malaysia,” the indictment read.
Dieye, described as the alleged leader and chief architect of the conspiracy, is among 14 defendants charged with offences including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
A federal grand jury returned a 22-count indictment on August 26, 2026. The indictment was unsealed on November 3 following the arrest of key co-conspirator Terrence Dudley, also known as Willy Watkins, in Florida.
How Kenya Featured in the US$370 Million Fraud Case
According to the US government, Dieye and his family vacated their Dallas residence and shipped most of their belongings to Kenya before travelling to New York.
They allegedly planned to board a one-way flight to Malaysia. However, the US Attorney’s Office and Diplomatic Security Service secured an arrest warrant within hours of the planned departure.
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Dieye was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport after scanning his boarding pass. Prosecutors allege that he physically resisted arrest and attempted to destroy one of his mobile phones containing information about his plans to purchase a home in Malaysia.
“After scanning his boarding pass, Dieye allegedly physically resisted arrest, attempted to destroy one of his cell phones containing evidence that he was researching how to buy a home in Malaysia, and had to be subdued by multiple federal agents.”
He was subsequently subdued by federal agents and transported to the Northern District of Texas, where he and several co-defendants remain in custody pending trial.
How the Suspects Allegedly Stole Millions From Bank Accounts
According to the indictment, Dieye possessed a spreadsheet containing personal and business information belonging to nearly 3,000 individuals whose bank accounts collectively held more than US$373 million.
The alleged conspiracy operated between July 2023 and November 2024, and the defendants are accused of obtaining personal identification information, producing counterfeit identification documents, and impersonating bank customers.
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Prosecutors further allege that the group manipulated victims’ phone lines through SIM swapping and spoofing, intercepted banking security codes and used corrupt insiders at financial institutions and telecommunications companies to bypass authentication measures.
The indictment identifies several financial institutions whose customers were allegedly targeted, including Truist Bank, Bank of America, First Bank, Woodforest National Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank and Charles Schwab.
Among the transactions highlighted in the case was an attempted US$2 million wire transfer to Emirates Islamic Bank.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud conspiracy and 20 years for wire fraud conspiracy. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence, to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The US Attorney’s Office stated that an indictment contains allegations and does not establish guilt. All 14 defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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