This week, a Nigerian national was sentenced to four years and one month in prison for his role in a business email compromise (BEC) fraud scheme. Solomon Ekunke Okpe, 31, of Lagos, and his co-conspirators were responsible for losses of more than a million dollars to US victims.
The scheme involved sending out phishing emails to steal credentials and other sensitive information, hacking into online accounts, assuming fake identities and impersonating people, and trafficking and using stolen credit cards. The fraudsters deceived banks and companies into transferring funds to their own accounts and posed as online employers to hire work-from-home ‘employees’ to perform actions facilitating the fraud. They also conducted romance fraud, creating accounts on dating websites and engaging with individuals under fictitious identities.
Okpe was arrested in Malaysia and detained for more than two years before he was extradited to the US. His co-conspirator, Johnson Uke Obogo, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for his role in the schemes. Both pleaded guilty to wire, bank, and mail fraud charges.
In conclusion, despite being located in Nigeria, Okpe and his co-conspirators were able to cause significant losses to US victims through a complex BEC fraud scheme. They used various methods, such as phishing, identity theft, and romance fraud, to deceive their victims and transfer funds to their own accounts. Both Okpe and Obogo have now been sentenced to prison for their role in the schemes.
Key Points:
• Nigerian national sentenced to 4 years and 1 month in prison for BEC fraud scheme
• Scheme caused losses of more than a million dollars to US victims
• Used phishing, identity theft, and romance fraud to deceive victims
• Co-conspirator sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in prison