Federal officials have successfully seized over $1.1 million linked to a cyber attack that defrauded the New Haven Board of Education of nearly $6 million earlier this year. The U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI filed a civil asset forfeiture complaint seeking to return the funds, totaling about $1,187,677, to the City of New Haven.
The cyber scam involved a fake email address mimicking a contracted school bus company, resulting in a $5.9 million payment mistakenly made by a board management member. Approximately $3.6 million of the stolen money was recovered before the recent forfeiture complaint.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller emphasized the advanced nature of the cyber schemes but commended law enforcement for effectively uncovering and stopping the ongoing financial losses, ultimately recovering funds for the City of New Haven. The focus remains on protecting vulnerable entities from cyber intrusion and fraud.
Criminal actors compromised an email account associated with a board management team member, creating a fake email account in June that mimicked an address linked to a city-contracted bus company. This allowed hackers to alter the bus company’s payment information, leading to the scam.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Vanessa Roberts Avery, highlighted the ongoing pursuit of criminal prosecution for individuals involved in the scam while prioritizing the recovery of the victim’s money. Civil asset forfeiture serves as a crucial mechanism for the U.S. Attorney’s office to recover funds for fraud victims, including those impacted by business email compromises and other scams.
Avery emphasized the significance of this process, which often involves converting U.S. currency to digital assets and requires substantial law enforcement resources and specialized training. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut has successfully recovered millions of dollars for victims of various fraud schemes, providing relief to those who lack the means or expertise to trace the money.
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