Report any suspicions of fraud. Eleven Nigerians have been indicted by the United States authorities for defrauding elderly Americans in romance scams. The existing wooden barriers are mostly used to keep cattle from crossing the border. Kingsley Ita, aka Baron Sifk, 42, of Dallas; Irabor Fatarr Musa, aka Fatai Head JJ, 51, of Richardson; Sandra Iribhogbe Popnen, aka General, 46, of Allen; Edgal Iribhogbe, aka Oseme, 50, of Allen; Damilola Kumapayi, aka Luke Morris, 33, of Dallas; Ehiedu Onyeagwu, aka Young, 58, of Rosedale, Maryland; Mathew Okpu, 57, of Temple Hille, Maryland; Benedicta Atakare, 46, of Temple Hills, Maryland; Chidindu Okeke, aka Steve, 28, of Richmond; Nosoregbe Asemota, aka Patrick Asemota, 46, of Melissa; Jequita Batchelor, 37, of Farmers Branch; Osaretin Eghaghe, aka Biggie, 37, of Plano; Isaac Asare, aka Asarko, 48, of Houston; Henrietha Oziegbe, 23, of Lexington, Kentucky; and. The audience experienced spoken words at its best. Nevertheless, he noted that the existing material merely showed the likelihood of illegal and deliberate activities. BBNaija Season 6: Check Out Latest News For Day 63, And Week Recap. 2023 BBC. Catalin Cimpanu September 28, 2021 US arrests 33 BEC scammers linked to Nigerian crime syndicate Cybercrime News 33 suspects were arrested in the US for BEC and romance scam-related crimes. Okeke's sentencing demonstrated the US authorities' determination to pursue international cybercriminals no matter where they committed their crimes, said the statement from the Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Virginia. Thirty-five Nigerians have been arrested in North Texas by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, for involvement in a fraud worth $117million. Two daughters and all I can do is not let them go to school., This is a war! declared a woman. Facebook Twitter Ben Ayade for allowing a level playing field at the Cross River North senatorial election of Feb. 25. Competitors were drawn from the academics for stage two winners across six Southwest Nigeria states. Of this number, people over 40-years of age fell prey to fraudsters the most, with 33.97% accounting for the total number of defrauded persons. Here are some practical steps you can take to reduce the chances of falling victim to fraudsters in 2021. As presented by various financial institutions, the report captures major talking points around fraud volume, fraud techniques, fraud sources, and affected demographics among others. The only mistake these victims make is being generous to the wrong people. By Amarachi Orjiude. The suspects also engaged in online romance scams, operating on dating sites such as Match.com, ChistianMingle, JSwipe, and Plenty of Fish. March 1, 2023. The suspects, who have allegedly. In 2016 Forbes Africa listed Okeke among the most influential businesspeople under the age of 30. "Americans are too often victimized by criminal organizations located abroad who use the internet to deceive those victims, defraud them of money, and, many times, persuade the victims to wittingly or unwittingly assist in perpetuating the fraudulent schemes," acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig said. Interestingly, people ranged 21 - 30 were the second most defrauded at 31%. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested 35 Nigerians in North Texas, in fraud worth $117 Million. Eleven of the arrests were made in the Northern District of Texas while 24 arrests were made in the Eastern District of Texas. The suspects used email fraud and romance scams to target victims, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. The men are wanted in Texas and New Jersey for a variety of offences, including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, money-laundering and aggravated identity theft. From around 2015 to 2019, he was part of a group which engaged in a conspiracy to conduct various computer-based frauds, including creating fake websites, the US Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement after he was sentenced. The company claimed that one of those arrested had previously been apprehended by the FBI in 2018. The document also detailed that the Nursing School 1 students paid between $6,000 and $18,000 for the transcripts and certificates, the report added. All the 80 defendants have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and aggravated identity theft, the US Attorney's Office in the Central District of California said in a press release. Read about our approach to external linking. Martin Lewis tells us the secret top tips to bagging a discount 'Money can't buy you a better cheeseburger', Billionaire Bill Gates talks to Amol Rajan about wealth, conspiracies and controversy, These are some of the rarest words in the Oxford English Dictionary. Two Nigerian nationals, identified as Valentine Iro and Chukwudi Christogunus Igbokwe, who are part of those arrested in the US, have been named as co-conspirators working with others in the US and in Nigeria, to obtain money from victims and then transfer it abroad. NBM maintain that they do not have connections to Black Axe, however is essentially just a different name that acts as a nominal cover for the Black Axe confraternity. The man facing 291 years in jail. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested 35 Nigerians in North Texas, in fraud worth $117 Million. He was sentenced in the United States to 11 years for conspiracy to launder money obtained from business email compromise frauds and other scams, including schemes that defrauded a US law firm of about $40 million, illegally transferred . The Nigerian is accused of helping set up companies that sold the documents, apparently provided by organisations such as "The Independent Diplomatic Commission" or "Commonwealth Liberation. The FBI investigation is a major step to disrupt criminal networks, US Attorney Nick Hanna said. Once President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization of reservists to fight in Ukraine in September, a considerable number of Russians began fleeing to Finland. The suspects used illicit money exchangers to move money to Nigeria, generally avoiding transferring the funds directly through banking institutions, the indictment says. They are accused of using business email fraud schemes and romance scams to con victims - many of them elderly. An example phishing email of the Nigerian fraud gang, according to Group-IB. This was contained . A full bail application was set down for next Tuesday and Thursday pending an extradition hearing. worked with North Korean hackers to launder funds stolen from a Maltese bank, pled guilty to money laundering in mid-2021. Feb. 28, 2023), INEC State Official In Rivers Alleges Threat To Life, The First Thing I Will Do As President-elect -Peter Obi, How Power-drunk Yahaya Bello Excavated Highway To Restrict INEC Officials, How To Unclog Your Arteries & Prevent A Heart Attack, EXPLAINER: How You Can Monitor Live Election Results. Two Nigerians arrested for wire fraud in U.S. "The Co-conspirators often used aliases not only of the purported love interest of a victim, but also of other people involved in that person's life, including a purported child, a business partner, or a friend, to bolster the perceived legitimacy of the stories portrayed, as a part of the Romance Scam or Advance Fee Scheme and to further induce the victims to send money on behalf of the purported love interest," the indictment said. Of these methods, social engineering remains the most common, accounting for 56% of the total fraud that occurred between January and September 2020. Dangote Cement Announces N20 Dividend Per Share After N381bn Profit, Real Estate Merchants Embrace Oduwacoin As Payment Method, Otedola Wows Augustine University With Fully Built Engineering Facility, Interventions: Buhari Hails CACOVID for Raising his Profile among Comity of Nations, Naira Crunch: Keystone, Union Banks Set Ablaze In Ogun, China Hits Back at US Over TikTok Ban on Federal Devices, Bolt Lays Off 17 Of Its 70 Workers in Nigeria, We Wont Replace Our Writers With ChatGPT Ugochukwu Obi-Chukwu, Our Tech Can Revolutionize Payments & Elections Olumide Afolabi, Importance of Nigerias Startup Act Iyin Aboyeji. Reports from eCommerce heavyweights, Jumia, and big tech giant, Google, suggested an increase in online activities during the lockdown period. 2019/2020 fraud volume by channels. What's more: About one in ten people lost money in 2019. They were among the 35 persons. Perhaps the best-known Nigerian BEC fraudster is Ramon Hushpuppi Abbas, who found fame as an Instagram influencer, but was charged with conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from BEC frauds and other scams. Finally, report Nigerian scams to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by email at scam@efccnigeria.org. The duo, accused of conspiring with many others to defraud the U.S. government by stealing identities to fraudulently claim unemployment benefits,. Featured Image by Bermix Studio on Unsplash. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas said Infantino had seized the chance to utilise Noels qualities, adding if that implies indirectly that it comes at a good moment for Noel, its a wonderful thing. Thursday, March 25, 2021 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON - Six people were charged in three criminal complaints in connection with their roles in expansive online fraud schemes targeting individuals in the United States, including romance scams and pandemic unemployment assistance fraud. Those named should be handed to the US to face a trial, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who heads the Nigerian government's diaspora commission said in a statement. All of the defendants named are innocent until proven guilty. On November 30, 18 pupils from the Nour Technical School in the sacred city of Qom were poisoned and transported to the hospital. Le Graet stated that he would not accept Zidanes offer to coach France unless he apologized for his clumsy statements. Tags: Cities with Top 10 Fraudsters in Nigeria, nigerian fraudsters in usa 2020, nigerian scammer list, top 10 frauds in the world, Top 10 Fraudsters in Nigeria, Top 10 Fraudsters in Nigeria and the Crimes they committed, top 10 fraudsters in the world 2020, top 10 internet scamming countries 2020, top 10 richest yahoo boy in the world 2020, top Obinwanne Okeke, also known as Invictus Obi, used Nigerian-based companies to defraud people in the US. In opposing bail, prosecutor Robin Lewis alleged the men are members of the Black Axe, a transnational organised crime syndicate originating in Nigeria, whose specialities include laundering money through various accounts. Other Americans fell victim to the defendants' romance scams, believing they were in romantic relationships with someone using an alias and, when requested, the victims sent money and items of value to South Africa, the indictment said. Many of the alleged victims are believed to be widows and divorcees, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Read about our approach to external linking. One of the larger Nigerian cybercrime gangs, known as SilverTerrier, has been hit in a law enforcement operation, with 11 individuals arrested in December, Interpol announced on Wednesday. Penalties For Dating or Romance Scams in Nigeria. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Using photos, text, and video dynamically, the site informs and prompts concerned African citizens and activists globally to act, denouncing officially-sanctioned corruption, the material impoverishment of its citizenry, defilement of the environment, and the callous disregard of the democratic principles enshrined in the constitution. With so many people being defrauded, the NIBSS identified social engineering, no 2-factor authentication, PIN compromise, internal collusion, card/phone theft, fake assistance, and several others as the major methods for fraudulent activities in 2020. Online scamming: 'If it doesn't look right, don't trust it'. 6. 33 suspects were arrested in the US for BEC and romance scam-related crimes. He said the schemes allegedly perpetrated by the Nigerians charged this week were particularly insidious because they played on people's emotions. Le Graet took over in 2011, and the mens national team won the 2018 World Cup after placing second in Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. 25 September 2021 | The suspects face 20 years in jail if convicted. The FBI has arrested 35 Nigerian internet fraudsters for romance scams worth $17 million in the United States. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are being evicted from their home on the British royal family's Windsor estate, a spokesperson said Wednesday, leaving them without a UK base. Here, the POS agent initiates a transaction of 20k and gives the customer to enter the pin, the customer reinitiates the transaction, inputs a lesser amount like 10k, enters the pin, and gives back the machine to the unsuspecting agent. Eight Nigerian men accused of an internet dating scam have appeared in a South African court after a massive international operation involving the FBI and Interpol. over a romance scam. Seven other properties were also raided in the same neighbourhood. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria recorded a slight GDP growth of 0.51% (year-on-year) in the first quarter of 2021, slower than the 1.87% growth recorded in Q1 2020 and higher than 0.11% recorded in Q4 of 2020. Collectively, Nigerias BEC groups make up a sprawling illicit industry. Total, top five. (FTC) The FTC received 2.2 million reports of fraud in 2020. This Monday, the prosecutor general announced the launch of a criminal inquiry. To improve security, Finland has begun building a 200km (124 mile) barrier along its border with Russia. Interestingly, people ranged 21 30 were the second most defrauded at 31%. Win an all-expense paid trip to AfricaCOM, Africas biggest tech event, If youre in Nigeria, you cant use the Apple-Google COVID-19 tracker feature yet. It said both South Africa and Nigeria had made high-level political commitments to address the . David Animashaun, 38 arrested in DFW, charged with wire fraud conspiracy. Judy Middleton, 70, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, is accused by federal prosecutors. Joseph Akeredolu is part of a gang that creates fake accounts on social media lures people through the accounts and then dupes them under the pretext of sending gifts, According to Indian police, [] These numbers are in keeping with the notion that Internet penetration, mobile phone usage, and agency banking activities are all increasing. The suspects, who were arrested in Cape Town and are awaiting extradition, have suspected ties to a transnational organized crime syndicate originating in Nigeria known as Black Axe. US authorities accused Okeke of using "subterfuge and impersonation" to lure his victims, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Its parliament has begun discussing a measure to expedite the countrys application, with a vote scheduled for Wednesday. Hope Olusegun Aroke who is popularly known as H-money is yet another Nigerian big boy who is currently chilling behind the bars for crimes running into millions of dollars. We know where and whom to target next.. Okeke's Invictus Group companies were also accused of working with conspirators to create profiles of hundreds of victims including people in the US's Eastern District of Virginia. Peoples Gazette reported that court documents state the medical doctor was arraigned alongside his associates, Musa Bangura and Johanah Napoleon, on charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud; conspiracy to commit false statements relating to health care matters, and false statements relating to health care matters". Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a woman of Nigerian descent, Amanda Azubuike, has become a Brigadier General of the United States Army. While NBM started out with the goals of fighting racisms in the once British colony, the group, just like other Nigerian confraternities, adopted violent tactics and started delving into criminal activity. Nwaokwu was arrested on July 9, barely 24 hours after the United States issued a warrant of arrest on July 8. He was named as FIFA president Gianni Infantinos delegate in the organizations new Paris headquarters in January 2022. Read about our approach to external linking. Gabriel Martinelli starred as Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 rout of struggling Everton on Wednesday. While members of the group have been arrested for cybercrime activities as far back as 2015, last weeks US arrests represent the biggest crackdown against Black Axes cybercrime operations. The arrests also represent the second law enforcement crackdown against the groups cybercrime operations this year, after Italian police alsoarrested 30 Black Axe members in April. The Paris-based FATF also added Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy, to its grey-list on Friday. Appendices - Analysis of Fraud and Forgeries in the Nigerian Banking Industry Appendix I (A) A Comparison of Fraud Activities between First Quarter 2021 and Second Quarter 2021 S/N Variables First Quarter, 2021 Second Quarter, 2021 . The total fraud losses amounted to a whopping $1.9 billion, and the median fraud loss was $320. They managed to fraudulently obtain $6m (5m) in a conspiracy aimed at stealing $46m, the US Attorney's Office alleges. According to the department, the defendants are accused of conducting romance schemes to defraud and steal money from older American adults. After remaining neutral for years, Finland and Sweden opted to join Nato as quickly as possible after Russias invasion on February 24, last year. A Nigerian businessman, who once appeared on the cover of Forbes magazine, has been jailed for 10 years in the US over a cyber fraud scam that led to the theft of about $11m (8m). Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime. Once they depleted the savings they vanished into thin air. According to NBC, officials with the U.S. Attorney's Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas and the FBI . Hushpuppi, whose real name is Ramon Abbas, was. It is alleged they preyed on their victims through dating sites using false identities. Catch up with me, @eruskkii, on Twitter or send a mail to emmanuel@techpoint.africa, Even with zero charges and speedy transfers, Nigerians are not using the eNaira. Suspects are believed to be members of Black Axe, a Nigerian confraternity and crime syndicate. "The fraudsters intimidated and berated their victims, ruined their lives and then disappeared," she said. Level playing field at the Cross River North senatorial election of Feb. 25, Google, suggested an in... Are innocent until proven guilty unemployment benefits, also added Nigeria, &! Are mostly used to keep cattle from crossing the border Mississippi, is accused by Federal prosecutors was... 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