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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Crime / Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams (22860 Views)
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Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by HeWrites(m): 3:34pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
A 29-year-old Nigerian man whose email scams aimed to defraud businesspeople from Singapore to Switzerland out of millions of dollars was sentenced to five years in a US federal prison. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey S. Newman, announced on Tuesday, September 11. “Onyekachi Emmanuel Opara attempted to dupe thousands of victims into transferring money to him and his co-defendant in a phony email scheme,” said Geoffrey Berman. Opara, 29, and a partner were arrested in South Africa in December 2016 and extradited to the US from Johannesburg in January of this year. According to the New York FBI’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrimes Unit, he allegedly cooked up business email scams that targeted thousands of companies worldwide. In these scams, Opara and fellow conspirators pretended to be supervisors at the target companies or third-party vendors, and emailed company employees requesting payments or information. The emails, however, were sent from accounts with domain names very similar to those of the companies or vendors, or accounts whose metadata had been changed so it seemed like the emails were coming from a familiar address. Once victims transferred funds, investigators say Opara quickly sucked them away to other bank accounts controlled by him and his partners. Investigators estimate that he attempted to steal $25 million in this way. In a separate scam, Opara created a dating profile, posing as a young, attractive woman called “Barbara.” Striking up relationships with men online, “Barbara” would convince them to send money overseas to accounts Opara controlled. One victim transferred $600,000 to “Barbara”--money which landed in the bank accounts of Opara’s co-conspirators. In addition to his five-year sentence, Opara has been ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution. “The global reach of our office and the FBI ensured that Opara will serve time in the United States for his crimes,” said Berman. Read the full press release below.... "Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ONYEKACHI EMMANUEL OPARA was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 60 months in prison based upon OPARA’s participation in fraudulent business email compromise scams that targeted thousands of victims in the United States and around the world. Through these scams, OPARA and his co-conspirators attempted to defraud victims of over $25 million. On April 11, 2018, OPARA pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty, who imposed today’s sentence." U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said; “From halfway around the world, Onyekachi Emmanuel Opara ran a global email scam business that victimized thousands of people out of millions of dollars. The global reach of our Office and the FBI ensured that Opara will serve time in the United States for his crimes.” According to the allegations in the Indictment to which OPARA pled guilty and statements made at the plea and sentencing proceedings; "Between 2014 and 2016, OPARA and his co-defendant, David Chukwuneke Adindu (“Adindu”), participated in multiple business email compromise (“BEC”) scams that targeted thousands of victims around the world, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, and Singapore. OPARA sent bogus emails to employees of the victim companies directing that funds be transferred to specified bank accounts. The emails purported to be from supervisors at those companies or from third party vendors with whom the companies did business. In reality, the emails were either sent from email accounts with domain names very similar to those of the companies and vendors, or the metadata for the emails was modified to make it appear as if the emails had been sent from legitimate email addresses. After victims transferred the funds as directed in the bogus emails, the funds were quickly withdrawn or transferred to other bank accounts controlled by scheme participants. In total, the BEC scam participants attempted to steal more than $25 million from victims around the world. In furtherance of the BEC scams, OPARA created accounts on dating websites and entered into online romantic relationships with individuals in the United States by portraying himself as a young attractive woman named “Barbara.” “Barbara” would then instruct these individuals in the United States to send their money overseas and/or to receive money from BEC scams and forward the proceeds to other scheme participants located overseas. For example, one victim with whom OPARA struck up a romantic relationship sent over $600,000 of the victim’s own money to bank accounts controlled by scheme participants at OPARA’s direction. OPARA also attempted to recruit at least 14 other individuals via dating websites to receive funds from BEC scams into their bank accounts and then transfer the proceeds to overseas bank accounts. OPARA was arrested on December 22, 2016, in Johannesburg, South Africa, and was extradited to the Southern District of New York on January 26, 2018. * * * In addition to the prison term, OPARA, 30, of Lagos, Nigeria, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution. On June 20, 2017, Adindu pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft. On December 14, 2017, Judge Crotty sentenced Adindu to 41 months in prison and ordered him to pay approximately $1.4 million in restitution. Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Berman also thanked Oath’s E-Crime Investigations Team, the National Prosecuting Authority for South Africa, the South African Police Service, and the United States Marshals Service. Mr. Berman noted that the investigation is ongoing. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew K. Chan and Daniel Loss are in charge of the prosecution." https://www.torimill.co/news/9801/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-in-us-federal-prison-for-involving-in-business-email-scams.html 2 Likes 2 Shares
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Alejoc(m): 3:35pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Dem no dey hear word..... Short cut, cut short! Meanwhile abeg check wetin I dey sell and recommend. Thanks 17 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Alejoc(m): 3:38pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Their slogan is get rich or die trying...... Meanwhile abeg check wetin I dey sell and recommend. Thanks 11 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by HITdemUP: 3:38pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
While not trying to justify the criminal activities being perpetrated by some of our youths here and abroad, I can critically say that our failed governmental structures is one of the major reason why many of our youths resorted to crime in a bid to easily escape the suffering and frustrations they are being subjected to by the government. We have so many unemployed qualified graduates out there who join queues at bet9ja outlets in a quest to earn a living through gambling. Some of our women were forced into prostitution not within their wish, but due to the high level of hardship and unemployment in the Country . It's these critical situations that plunge some of our brethens into crime. I have this strong notion that crime rate will drastically reduce if we have a working system. Our past, immediate and present government are the agents of oppression that has been oppresing , frustrating and also act as the sabotage to our development as a Nigerian. Lets shun our tribal afflictions and call a spade , a spade. 56 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by bodejohn(m): 3:39pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
All the details are usually in the first 2 or 3 paragraphs... The crime and the perpetrator... 11 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by CliffDike(m): 3:52pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
The faster our people realise that crime doesn't pay the better for the future. Few criminally minded elements should stop disgracing the many hardworking Nigerians! CRIME DOESN'T PAY!!!!!!!! 7 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by mrjaydee(m): 4:11pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Welldone! Defending champions na dem. 43 Likes 3 Shares
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Nbote(m): 5:23pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
I am highly disappointed.... Dis is supposed to b an Afonja operation as it is their area of specialization... 21 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by maberry(m): 6:52pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Now this is unusual The type name is not usually associated with this kind of crime 35 Likes 1 Share
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Opinionated: 6:52pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
You do the time, you do the crime. 2 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Ahmed0336(m): 6:53pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by franchasng: 6:53pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Disowned by Igbo Youth Integrity Group (IYIG). We approve his immediate jail sentence or execution by electric chair if found guilty ![]() I am sure he got deceived by his friend Olayinka Olaniyi Ganiyu ![]() 29 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Almaiga: 6:53pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Crime is the only thing, Biafrans are good at. Lazy IPOB terrorist. Anyways, Ibo's Amaka. ![]() 41 Likes 4 Shares
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by condomuser: 6:54pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Bloody Afonja again. Adewale Adekunle 9 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by ezeonline2(m): 6:54pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
NCAN over to you ![]() 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by utenwuson: 6:55pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Hehehehejejejejejejhehshehehshshheheheheheheebwbwbwbwbwbheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh........ Must it always be them? 3 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by excomarow(m): 6:55pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
You see am.. “Onyekachi E dey their blood No Comments... 24 Likes 3 Shares
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Afflalo(m): 6:55pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
na only God can save Nigeria from this Fathead osu pig 8 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Nobody: 6:55pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
And mods pushed it to FP cos they enjoy ethnic bashing. 1 Like |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by anambraamaka: 6:56pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
I need collect too |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Mgbadike80: 6:56pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by oloripelebe2: 6:57pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
. |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by magicminister: 6:57pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
If the tables were turned, do you think the United States would extradite their criminals to any African country?? The moment an American/westerner commits a crime in a foreign country, their respective countries rallies around those criminals regardless of how heinous the crime. Africa should stop extraditing her criminals to these countries. We should build the capacity to speedily bring Justice in those criminals. I don't condone any form of criminals but I think it's demanding for us to quickly send our sons and daughters to foreign countries to answer for crimes that did not affect us negatively. 7 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by ezeonline2(m): 6:57pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
condomuser:e go better make okonjo borrow you her glasses for a minute ![]() 5 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by EzeIgboNwaChukwu(m): 6:57pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
na dem 24 Likes 3 Shares
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Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Nobody: 6:58pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Igbo kwenu, iyaaaa ![]() 4 Likes |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Caniva01: 6:58pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Life goes on. 1 Like |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Zzyy(m): 6:59pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
I didn't even bother to read d article since i saw the name... Lol |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by SmartMugu: 6:59pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
HITdemUP:I disagree with you on some of the comments. Not everything needs to be blamed on the government - many of these are driven by peer pressure, desire to fit in a certain class, greed etc. I know a few folks making a lot of money from their legit employments but decided to resign after seeing how much their less educated or expencienced made defrauding others just to become in the same class as them. These western countries do have their own brand of scammers as well, and if you think they don't scam us Africans too, you're still wrong. I condemn the act though. . 8 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by emeijeh(m): 6:59pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
Ndi Developers, Dalu ni o. ![]() 5 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Nigerian Man Sentenced To 5 Years In US Prison For Involving In Email Scams by Nobody: 6:59pm On Sep 15, 2018 |
![]() 9 Likes 2 Shares
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