49-Year-Old Nigerian-American Risks 10-Year Jail For Stealing RAM Modules from Laptops

Bankole Olaniyi Akinfe, a 49-year-old contractor with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has been charged with allegedly stealing RAM modules from government laptops.

Akinfe, of Laurel, Maryland, was charged by criminal complaint with theft of government property, according to a statement on Thursday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, PhD, of the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). 

According to the criminal complaint, beginning in December 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters employed Mr Akinfe as a contractor in its Information Technology Customer Support Centre. 

“On August 27, 2026, Akinfe was observed removing at least 10 Random-Access Memory (RAM) modules from USCIS laptops without authorisation,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. It added that Mr Akinfe was further observed putting the RAM modules in his pocket and taking them off the premises. 

“If convicted, Akinfe faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison since the total value of the stolen government property exceeds $1,000,” it noted.