The FBI in the United States has placed three Nigerians on its most-wanted list for their alleged involvement in a $6m business email compromise scheme.
The suspects include Nnamdi Benson, Richard Uzuh and Felix Okpoh, according to notices published on the FBI website and seen by PUNCH on Wednesday.
The Nigerians are believed to have defrauded over 70 businesses in the US.
The notice stressed Benson’s role in the scheme, indicating that he allegedly provided bank accounts to receive proceeds from the fraudulent transactions.
It noted that Benson was also suspected to be involved in romance and advance fee fraud scam and was indicted by a US court in August 2019.
The notice read, “Nnamdi Orson Benson is wanted for his alleged involvement in a Business Email Compromise scheme that defrauded over 70 different businesses in the United States resulting in combined losses of over $6,000,000.
“Benson allegedly provided bank accounts to Richard Izuchukwu Uzuh that were used to receive fraudulent wire transfers. Benson also allegedly conducted romance fraud and advanced fee fraud schemes himself.
“On August 21, 2019, Benson, along with Felix Osilama Okpoh, and Abiola Ayorinde Kayode, was indicted in the United States District Court, District of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. On August 22, 2019, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest.”
Another notice stating the details of Okpoh’s alleged offence noted that he also provided numerous bank accounts to Uzuh to receive proceeds of the scam totalling about $1m.
It read, “Okpoh allegedly provided hundreds of bank accounts to Richard Izuchukwu Uzuh and other co-conspirators, Abiola Ayorinde Kayode and Nnamdi Orson Benson, that were used to receive fraudulent wire transfers.
“Bank accounts that Okpoh allegedly provided to Uzuh received fraudulent wire transfers from victim businesses totalling over $1,000,000. On August 21, 2019, Okpoh was indicted in the United States District Court, District of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. On August 22, 2019, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest.”
Uzuh, on his part, was alleged to have been responsible for sending emails to several businesses in the US alongside other members of the syndicate to request fraudulent wire transfers.
The notice further indicated that a US court indicted Uzuh and issued an arrest warrant on him in October 2016.
“Uzuh and his co-conspirators, Felix Osilama Okpoh, Abiola Ayorinde Kayode, and Nnamdi Orson Benson, allegedly sent spoofed emails to thousands of businesses in the United States requesting fraudulent wire transfers.
“Uzuh allegedly worked with money launderers, romance scammers, and others involved in BEC schemes to launder the proceeds of their crimes through a complex network of witting and unwitting people in the United States and abroad.
“On October 18, 2016, Uzuh was indicted in the United States District Court, District of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, on charges of Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. On October 19, 2016, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest,” another notice read.
A member of the syndicate Abiola Kayode, who had been on the FBI’s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, was extradited from Ghana to Nebraska, United States this month.
The extradition followed a conspiracy to commit wire fraud indictment filed against him in August 2019.