Menu

  • Alerts
  • Incidents
  • News
  • APTs
  • Cyber Decoded
  • Cyber Hygiene
  • Cyber Review
  • Cyber Tips
  • Definitions
  • Malware
  • Threat Actors
  • Tutorials

Useful Tools

  • Password generator
  • Report an incident
  • Report to authorities
No Result
View All Result
CTF Hack Havoc
CyberMaterial
  • Education
    • Cyber Decoded
    • Definitions
  • Information
    • Alerts
    • Incidents
    • News
  • Insights
    • Cyber Hygiene
    • Cyber Review
    • Tips
    • Tutorials
  • Support
    • Contact Us
    • Report an incident
  • About
    • About Us
    • Advertise with us
Get Help
Hall of Hacks
  • Education
    • Cyber Decoded
    • Definitions
  • Information
    • Alerts
    • Incidents
    • News
  • Insights
    • Cyber Hygiene
    • Cyber Review
    • Tips
    • Tutorials
  • Support
    • Contact Us
    • Report an incident
  • About
    • About Us
    • Advertise with us
Get Help
No Result
View All Result
Hall of Hacks
CyberMaterial
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Nigerian Hacker Sentenced in $5M Fraud

September 2, 2024
Reading Time: 2 mins read
in News

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.

 

Reference:

  • Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Victimizing U.S. Companies Through Business Email Compromise Scheme

Tags: Business Email Compromise (BEC)Cyber NewsCyber News 2024Cyber threatsCybercrimeFraudNigeriaSeptember 2024
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Cloudflare Blocks Record 7.3 Tbps DDoS

US Expects Iranian Cyberattacks to Escalate

June 23, 2025
Cloudflare Blocks Record 7.3 Tbps DDoS

AT&T to Pay $177M for Massive Data Breach

June 23, 2025
Cloudflare Blocks Record 7.3 Tbps DDoS

Cloudflare Blocks Record 7.3 Tbps DDoS

June 23, 2025
US Seizes $225M In Record Crypto Bust

UK Data Law Risks EU Adequacy Deal

June 20, 2025
US Seizes $225M In Record Crypto Bust

US Seizes $225M In Record Crypto Bust

June 20, 2025
US Seizes $225M In Record Crypto Bust

Argentina Busts Russian Disinformation Ring

June 20, 2025

Latest Alerts

Spyware in App Stores Steals Your Photos

Stealth Malware Targets Fortinet Firewalls

Prometei Botnet Attacks Servers for Crypto

Winos 4.0 Malware Hits Taiwan Via Tax Phish

New Godfather Trojan Hijacks Banking Apps

New Amatera Stealer Delivered By ClearFake

Subscribe to our newsletter

    Latest Incidents

    Aflac Hacked in Spree on Insurance Firms

    CoinMarketCap Doodle Hack Steals Crypto

    UK’s Oxford Council Legacy Systems Breached

    Massive Leak Exposes 16 Billion Credentials

    Chinese Spies Target Satellite Giant Viasat

    German Dealer Leymann Hacked Closes Stores

    CyberMaterial Logo
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Jobs
    • Legal and Privacy Policy
    • Site Map

    © 2025 | CyberMaterial | All rights reserved

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In

    Add New Playlist

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Alerts
    • Incidents
    • News
    • Cyber Decoded
    • Cyber Hygiene
    • Cyber Review
    • Definitions
    • Malware
    • Cyber Tips
    • Tutorials
    • Advanced Persistent Threats
    • Threat Actors
    • Report an incident
    • Password Generator
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us

    Copyright © 2025 CyberMaterial