"Nigerian BEC Scammer Pleads Guilty in US Court"

A Nigerian national has recently pleaded guilty in a US court to his role in a business email compromise (BEC) fraud scheme that caused roughly $200,000 in losses.  Henry Echefu, 32, a resident of South Africa at the time the nefarious operation was conducted, was extradited from Canada on November 30.  According to the Department of Justice (DoJ), Echefu and co-conspirators, including individuals in Maryland, engaged in a BEC scheme between February and July 2017.  The perpetrators gained unauthorized access to personal and business email accounts and sent messages from spoofed email accounts, instructing victims to make wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the attackers.  The DoJ noted that Echefu and his accomplices then attempted to launder the illegally obtained funds by transferring them to other bank accounts, withdrawing cash, using cashier’s checks, and writing checks to other entities.  The fraudsters aimed to obtain more than $300,000 in illicit proceedings from the BEC scheme but ended up causing just under $200,000 in losses.  Echefu admitted to having direct control of at least $22,000 of the funds.  According to the plea agreement, the defendant will have to pay a money judgment equal to the amount he had personal control of and pay restitution in the full amount of caused losses.  Echefu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  He is scheduled for sentencing on May 23, 2024.
 

SecurityWeek reports: "Nigerian BEC Scammer Pleads Guilty in US Court"