Posted on 02/18/2021 8:25:41 AM PST by ransomnote
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Nigerian national was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a computer-based intrusion fraud scheme that caused approximately $11 million in known losses to his victims.
“Through subterfuge and impersonation, Obinwanne Okeke engaged in a multi-year global business email and computer hacking scheme that caused a staggering $11 million in losses to his victims,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Today’s sentence further demonstrates EDVA’s and FBI’s worldwide reach in vigorously pursuing justice on behalf of American victims and others and holding international cybercriminals accountable, no matter where they commit their crimes.”
According to court documents, Obinwanne Okeke, 33, operated a group of companies known as the Invictus Group based in Nigeria and elsewhere. From approximately 2015 to 2019, Okeke and others engaged in a conspiracy to conduct various computer-based frauds. The conspirators obtained and compiled the credentials of hundreds of victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Virginia.
As part of the scheme, Okeke and other conspirators engaged in an email compromise scheme targeting Unatrac Holding Limited, the export sales office for Caterpillar heavy industrial and farm equipment. In April 2018, a Unatrac executive fell prey to a phishing email that allowed conspirators to capture login credentials. The conspirators sent fraudulent wire transfer requests and attached fake invoices. Okeke participated in the effort to victimize Unatrac through fraudulent wire transfers totaling nearly $11 million, which was transferred overseas. Additionally, Okeke engaged in other forms of cyberfraud, including sending phishing emails to capture email credentials, creating fraudulent web pages, and causing other losses to numerous victims.
“The FBI will not allow cyber criminals free reign in the digital world to prey on U.S. companies,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners at the Department of Justice and our foreign counterparts to locate cyber criminals across the globe and bring them to the United States to be held accountable.”
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-84.
So, one Nigerian Prince down, how many more to go? :P
He must have been that Nigerian Prince he have heard about over the years
global fraud scheme=climate change
Anyone dumb enough to fall for these Nigerian scams deserves to be taken to the cleaners.
Really glad that DOJ actually took this case for a change.
FBI’s “WORLDWIDE REACH”....shame they forgot the nation that brought them into existence.
Whew! Thought for a moment that was the Nigerian prince I’m working with.
Sent him to Gitmo.
I wonder what kind of futuristic world we could be living in if the amount of energy democrats or their ideological international cousins had directed the energy and resources to the betterment of humanity instead of the latest and greatest fraud scheme or to lord it over others. We would probably all have flying cars by now.
“The conspirators obtained and compiled the credentials of hundreds of victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Virginia”
AKA dumb ass liberals.
Farewell, sweet prince.
Not that kind of scam. This one was a phish email.
I am still waiting for my 20 million dollars. I wonder if I will ever get it? 😁🤪🤗🤣😂 (joke)
“Through subterfuge and impersonation, Obinwanne Okeke engaged in a multi-year global business email and computer hacking scheme that caused a staggering $11 million in losses to his victims,”
Quick, he needs your help. He has a bank account where you can deposited just 1000 dollars and in return,, you will receive 1,000,000 In return /sarcasm
Right-and THESE are the things the FBI successfully investigates?
Upon release he will be granted permanent immigration status on compassionate grounds that he can no longer find employment.
Unfortunately too mahy of the victims are elderly people who are losing their mental faculties. My mother-in-law got caught in a scam where she bought storm windows and the contract had the clause where they would take her house if she missed one payment. Fortunately I caught it and voided the contract before the 72 hour waiting period was over. $5000 or $1200 worth of storm windows. We watched her very closely after that.
So while I generally think that people who get caught in scams deserve it, this modus operandi of targeting the elderly deserves the death penalty, IMHO.
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