Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna, a 34-year-old Nigerian national, has been sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia to five years and three months in prison. He was ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution for his role in a cybercrime operation. This operation involved computer hacking and business email compromise, resulting in substantial financial losses for multiple victims in the U.S. and beyond. Okwonna had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft earlier this year.
Okwonna’s co-conspirator, 35-year-old Ebuka Raphael Umeti, was sentenced in August to 10 years in prison and also required to pay nearly $5 million in restitution. Umeti, who was convicted by a federal jury, faced charges that included wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and intentional damage to protected computers. Both men were implicated in a scheme that targeted companies by impersonating trusted sources, leading victims to unknowingly transfer large sums of money to accounts under the criminals’ control.
The scheme spanned from February 2016 to July 2021, during which the defendants sent phishing emails to deceive victim companies. These emails appeared to come from legitimate sources, such as banks or vendors, tricking recipients into clicking on attachments. Once opened, the attachments infected the victims’ computers with malware, granting the perpetrators unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data. They then used this access to persuade employees to make fraudulent wire transfers.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office led the investigation with international support, including extradition efforts coordinated by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Senior Counsel Thomas S. Dougherty and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case, with assistance from international agencies in Kenya. This case highlights the significant global efforts taken to combat international cybercrime and secure justice for affected businesses.
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