JUST IN: Nigerian-born engineer Adebanjo Popoola has pleaded guilty in the United States after admitting to diverting funds meant for building repairs.
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI — Adebanjo “Banjo” Popoola, a 57-year-old Nigerian-born engineer and former building inspector with the City of St. Louis, has pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud in the United States. According to court records, Popoola admitted diverting about $1.64 million meant for the repair and rehabilitation of deteriorating buildings in St. Louis.
Prosecutors said Popoola managed key aspects of two programmes, Stable Communities STL and Prop NS, which aimed to stabilise and rehabilitate properties across the city. Stable Communities STL received funding through the federal American Rescue Plan Act and focused on privately owned properties, while Prop NS targeted residential properties owned by the city’s Land Reutilization Authority and received funding through city-issued bonds.
According to court documents, Popoola’s responsibilities included identifying properties that needed repairs, developing project plans, reviewing and awarding bids, inspecting completed work and certifying projects for payment to contractors. Prosecutors said he abused that position by directing funds to companies linked to himself and family members.
Court records showed that Popoola instructed his sister, who lives in Texas and had never visited St. Louis, to establish Farst Construction LLC in Missouri in October 2022. Authorities also said his future wife created another company, Premier Finish Contractors LLC, in February 2021. Investigators alleged that these companies received funds intended for public rehabilitation projects.
The case forms part of a broader effort by United States authorities to tackle fraud involving public funds and government-backed programmes. Financial crimes involving infrastructure and housing projects have attracted increased scrutiny in recent years, especially where federal and local government funds are involved.
The development means Popoola now faces sentencing after admitting to the offences in court. The guilty plea also closes a major chapter in the investigation into the misuse of public funds intended to improve deteriorating buildings in St. Louis.
