Two Men Indicted for Defrauding DoorDash in $1 Million Scheme

Oluwatobi Otukelu and Evan Edwards face federal charges for allegedly defrauding DoorDash by stealing over $1 million in Dasher wages.Photo byMarques ThomasonUnsplash

A federal grand jury has indicted Oluwatobi Otukelu and Evan Edwards on charges of conspiracy and computer damage in an alleged plot to steal wages from workers of a delivery service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California announced Monday.

According to the indictment, Otukelu, 25, and Edwards, 24, both of Houston, conspired to defraud DoorDash, Inc. by illegally obtaining wages intended for independent contractors, known as “Dashers,” who worked for the delivery service.

The indictment alleges that Otukelu and Edwards acquired the personal identifying information of Dashers, impersonated them to DoorDash support, took control of existing Dasher accounts, and created new unauthorized accounts using the victims' information.

They then allegedly redirected payments of Dasher wages into accounts they controlled.

The indictment further details that the stolen funds were used by the defendants to purchase or attempt to purchase goods and services, including vehicles, airline tickets, cosmetic procedures, and personal training.

The plot, as outlined in the indictment, resulted in the theft of wages from at least 138 Dashers, amounting to over $1 million.

Otukelu and Edwards were arrested in Houston on Sept. 26, 2024, and made their initial appearances in court that same day.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Otukelu was ordered detained pending trial, while Edwards was released on a $25,000 bond.

Otukelu’s next court appearance is set for Oct. 22, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. Edwards’ initial appearance in the Northern District of California has not yet been scheduled.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, if convicted, both defendants face significant penalties. The conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and restitution.

The charge of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, while the charge of causing damage to a protected computer carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Additionally, both charges include fines, supervised release, forfeiture, and restitution requirements.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.