Nigerian-Born Building Inspector Adebanjo Popoola Jailed Six Years in U.S. Over $1.64m Fraud
A Nigerian-born former building inspector in the United States, Adebanjo Popoola, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for defrauding public programmes of more than $1.64 million meant for the rehabilitation of deteriorating buildings in St. Louis, Missouri.
The 58-year-old was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Zachary Bluestone after pleading guilty in June to three counts of wire fraud. The court also ordered him to repay the $1,642,908 obtained through the fraudulent scheme.
Popoola previously worked in the building division of the St. Louis city government, where he supervised two property improvement initiatives: Stable Communities STL and Prop NS. The programmes were established to rehabilitate unsafe buildings and improve residential properties across the city.
His official responsibilities included identifying buildings for renovation, preparing project requirements, evaluating contractors' bids, inspecting completed work and approving payments. However, prosecutors established that he manipulated these processes to direct public contracts to businesses connected to his family.
Investigators discovered that Popoola channelled 41 renovation contracts to Farst Construction LLC, a company he helped establish with his sister, who had no professional background in construction. He also directed another 50 contracts to Premier Finish Contractors LLC, a business he helped his then-fiancée establish.
According to court filings, the two companies received approximately 42 per cent of the total funds distributed under the Stable Communities STL programme. Popoola concealed his connections to the businesses from city authorities, while his relatives also failed to disclose their relationships with him.
The investigation further revealed that some of the properties awarded to the companies received little or none of the rehabilitation work they were contracted to perform. Despite the incomplete projects, Popoola approved inspection reports falsely indicating that the required work had been satisfactorily completed, allowing payments to be released.
Prosecutors said Popoola and his family members obtained $1,642,908 through the arrangement. He subsequently spent the money on mortgage payments, vehicle purchases and repairs, travel, casino gambling, dining and other personal expenses. Some of the proceeds also went towards his September 2023 wedding in Hawaii.
The financial consequences extended to property owners who depended on the programmes to restore their buildings. In a victim impact statement, the owner of a property on Rowan Avenue in the Hamilton Heights neighbourhood said the diversion of $48,500 allocated for repairs left the building with serious structural problems.
The owner explained that the fraudulent inspection reports concealed the extent of the deterioration and created an unexpected financial burden.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer also warned that the fraud could have wider implications for the city, including the possibility of having to return millions of dollars in federal funding received under the American Rescue Plan Act.
The investigation affected legitimate construction businesses as well. The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed that the suspension of payments during the investigation disrupted contractors who were not involved in the fraud. Other rehabilitation projects were also delayed, including work on buildings damaged by a tornado in May 2025.
Reacting to the sentencing, FBI St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker condemned Popoola's actions, noting that money intended to make neighbourhoods safer had instead been diverted to finance his personal lifestyle.
He said residents continued living close to deteriorating and potentially dangerous buildings while the former inspector used the stolen funds to cover personal expenses, including his wedding, mortgage and vehicle-related costs.
In a sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith described the offence as an act of greed and a serious abuse of the trust placed in Popoola by the St. Louis city government. He maintained that the former inspector exploited his official position to enrich himself and members of his family at the expense of taxpayers and residents who depended on the rehabilitation initiatives.
Comments