June 17, 2024 at 10:14AM
Nigerian national Ebuka Raphael Umeti, 35, faces up to 27 years in federal prison after being convicted in the US for operating a business email compromise (BEC) scheme. He and his co-conspirators caused or intended to cause losses of more than $1.5 million to their victims. Co-defendant Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, 34, awaits sentencing.
Based on the meeting notes, the key takeaways are:
1. Ebuka Raphael Umeti, a Nigerian national, has been convicted in the US for operating a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
2. Umeti and his co-conspirators used phishing emails to gain unauthorized access to victims’ computers and email accounts, leading to the exfiltration of sensitive information.
3. The obtained information was used to trick employees at victim organizations into making wire transfers, causing or intending to cause losses of more than $1.5 million.
4. Umeti faces up to 27 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for wire fraud, five years for conspiracy to cause damage to a computer, and 10 years for intentional damage to a computer. His sentencing is scheduled for August 27.
5. A co-defendant, Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, who pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme, is scheduled for sentencing on September 3.
6. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri highlighted that Umeti and his co-conspirators, despite operating from outside the US, were not beyond the reach of the Justice Department.
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