A major international fraud case in the United States has resulted in the conviction of multiple defendants, with several Nigerians and Nigerian-linked individuals playing central roles in the scheme. In total, 25 people have now been convicted over a massive 215 million dollar business email compromise scam that targeted more……
A major international fraud case in the United States has resulted in the conviction of multiple defendants, with several Nigerians and Nigerian-linked individuals playing central roles in the scheme.
In total, 25 people have now been convicted over a massive 215 million dollar business email compromise scam that targeted more than 1,000 victims across 47 U.S. states and 19 countries.
Among those convicted are Nigerian nationals and Nigerian-linked suspects, including Emmanuel Okereke, also known as Omo Igbo, Olalekan Bashiru, aka Ola Bash, Jeremiah Agina, and Ademola Balogun. Others of Nigerian origin or descent include Ayobami Osas Christopher, Ayorinde Emmanuel Adebayo, Olabode Bankole, Chukwuemeka Evulukwu, and Kingsley Owusu.
Authorities say the group operated as part of a wider network of Nigerian-linked fraud organisations, specialising in hacking business email accounts and manipulating financial transactions.
The scheme involved gaining unauthorised access to email accounts of individuals and companies, studying their communications, and then sending highly convincing payment requests to unsuspecting victims.
Once funds were transferred, the money was moved through a complex web of fraudulent bank accounts, shell companies, and cash systems to conceal its origin.
Three additional defendants — Oluwafemi Michael Awoyemi, Aruan Drake, and Peter Reed — were convicted after a four-day trial in Toledo, Ohio, on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, with Awoyemi and Drake also found guilty of money laundering conspiracy.
Investigators revealed that about 50 million dollars of the stolen funds were converted into cashier’s cheques and processed through a Chicago-area business, whose owner, Lon Goodman, has also been convicted for his role in facilitating the laundering of illicit proceeds.
The fraud affected victims across several locations, including multiple cities in Ohio such as Norwalk, Akron, and Kent, as well as other states like California, Texas, Florida, and New York. International victims were also identified in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Australia.
In one instance, a victim company reportedly transferred 2.7 million dollars to a fraudulent account controlled by the syndicate.
Authorities also seized luxury assets linked to the suspects, including high-end watches valued at over 200,000 dollars, nearly 1.2 million dollars in cash and cryptocurrency, and a residential property in Georgia.
U.S. officials say sentencing for all 25 convicted individuals will be determined by the court, based on their roles and criminal histories.
The investigation was carried out by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Border Patrol Intelligence Unit, with prosecutors describing the case as one of the largest coordinated crackdowns on international email fraud networks.
