A total of 24 people have been arrested in connection to a $30m fraud and money-laundering scam in the United States with 13 of those arrested being Nigerians. 
In the statement released by the United States Department of Justice and Federal agents arrested the suspects for their activities involved in an organised crime large-scale fraud and money-laundering crimes perpetrated by a criminal syndicate which was said to target American citizens, corporations and financial institutions throughout the country.
In the statement released it was said that the criminal activities were carried out through compromise business email, aggravated identity theft and bank fraud.
5 months back the FBI released a list of 80 suspects arrested for cyber fraud and money-laundering allegations. 77 of those on the list were Nigerians.
These are the names of the 13 Nigerians arrested and charged to a federal court in Atlanta are:
- Blessing Oluwatimilehin Ojo
- Afeez Olaide Adeniran
- Matthan Bolaji Ibidapo
- Obinna Nwosu
- Benjamin Ibukunoluwa Oye
- Christopher Akinwande Awonuga
- Ahamefule Aso Odus
- Paul Chinonso Anyanwu
- Chineda Obilom Nwakadu
- Chukwukadibia Ikechukwu Nnadozie
- Uchechi Chidimma Odus
- John Ifeoluwa Onimole
- Oluwafunmilade Onamuti
“Afeez Olaide Adeniran and Blessing Ojo are also charged with wire fraud. Adeniran allegedly defrauded a home buyer of $40,000 intended for a real estate transaction,” the department said.
The indictment alleges that due to a computer intrusion and false invoicing scam, Ojo caused a media company in California to send payments totalling $89,140 to a bank account controlled by one of the defendants. In total, the victim sent $646,840, as a result of the fraud.”
“No one deserves to have their hard-earned money stolen from them, so identifying and arresting these defendants makes everyone in the community safer. Foreign nationals arrested in this scheme will be placed into removal proceedings upon completion of their criminal sentence,” said Robert Hammer, the acting special agent who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama.
Read Also: Breaking: FBI Declines To Give Details Of Nigerians Involved In $1.2B Global Fraud
Byung J, an attorney said:
“$30m Fraud schemes, like the ones perpetrated and facilitated by these defendants, inflict considerable losses on citizens, companies, and the financial system.
“Some of these schemes target the elderly and often deplete the victims’ entire life savings. These arrests affirm the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens.”
Photo Credit: Getty
