A United States US grand jury has indicted a Nigerian-born engineer Banjo Popoola, a building inspector in St. Louis, Missouri, over his alleged involvement in a multi-million-dollar contract fraud scheme.
According to prosecutors, Popoola is accused of orchestrating a $4.7 million fraud between 2021 and 2024 by exploiting his official position to award city contracts to companies linked to his wife and sister. Authorities say he received substantial kickbacks from the deals, personally pocketing more than $1.6 million.
Investigators revealed that the funds were allegedly diverted to cover personal expenses, including a lavish wedding in Hawaii for his second wife, luxury vehicles, gambling activities, and housing costs. In some instances, Popoola reportedly cashed cheques issued for the contracts himself.
The indictment further alleges that Popoola falsely certified several rehabilitation and stabilisation projects as completed—even when the work was either unfinished or never carried out.
“One or more of the rehabilitation and stabilisation projects… Farst failed to perform the work as contracted, but Popoola falsely certified… that the work had been performed completely and properly,” prosecutors stated.
Despite officially declaring no conflict of interest in contract filings, authorities claim these statements were knowingly false.
These certifications were false, based upon Popoola’s ongoing interests… Popoola was well aware of these false certifications,” the indictment added.
Popoola is currently facing three counts of wire fraud, and prosecutors are seeking to recover at least $1.6 million in alleged illicit gains.
