MIL Security Engine-1

Source: US FBI

A federal jury convicted an Ohio pharmacist and his operations manager, a pharmacy technician, yesterday for conspiring to defraud Ohio’s Medicaid program.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathanael Thompson, 45, of Westerville, owned four pharmacies in Columbus, Ohio. Sanam Ahmad, 34, of Galena, managed the pharmacies. Thompson and Ahmad conspired to charge Medicaid for a particular manufacturer’s omeprazole, a type of proton pump inhibitor, which was reimbursable at a significantly higher rate than most omeprazole. In reality, the dispensed medication was generic omeprazole purchased at big-box warehouse retail stores. In addition, to maximize profits, Thompson’s pharmacies put in place certain protocols to dispense omeprazole as though a doctor had prescribed the drug even when there was no prescription.

The jury convicted Thompson and Ahmad of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and two counts of defrauding Medicaid. They face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy charge and each health care fraud charge. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Mimura of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Chicago Region, Special Agent in Charge Jeff Krafels of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, and Director Steven W. Schierholt of the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive made the announcement.

The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, USPS-OIG, Ohio Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Kathryn Furtado and Leslie Fisher of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Source: US FBI

CINCINNATI – A local, self-identified “Incel” was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 80 months in prison for attempting to conduct a mass shooting of women.

Tres Genco, 24, of Hillsboro, Ohio, admitted he plotted to commit a hate crime, namely, a plan to shoot women at a university in Ohio. He was arrested by federal agents in July 2021 and has remained in custody since.

“Genco intended to carry out a devastating mass murder of innocent women in this state for no other reason than the fact that he hated them. Everybody deserves to live without threats of violence or fearing acts of terror,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Genco’s sentence reflects the need to protect the community from him for a significant period of time. I thank each of our law enforcement partners for working together to keep our community safe.”

“Genco plotted to violently attack women and was motivated by his personal hatred,” stated FBI Cincinnati Acting Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Mimura. “Law enforcement, working together, stopped his deadly attack from happening. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and community partners to disrupt threats and prevent violence in our community.”

Genco identified as an Incel or “involuntary celibate.” The Incel movement is a predominantly male online community that harbors anger towards women, fueled by their inability to convince women to engage in sexual activity with them.

According to court documents, Genco maintained profiles on a popular Incel website from at least July 2019 through mid-March 2020 and posted more than 450 times on the site. More than 3,000 items on Genco’s two phones contained the word “Incel.”

In one online post, Genco detailed spraying “some foids [women] and couples” with orange juice in a water gun. Genco compared his “extremely empowering action” to similar conduct by known Incel Elliot Rodger. In May 2014, Rodger killed six people and injured 14 others, including shooting individuals outside a University of California, Santa Barbara sorority house. Prior to his mass attack, Rodger shot a group of college students with orange juice from a water gun. Rodger also emailed a 107,000-word manifesto to multiple media outlets before his mass shooting.

Genco wrote a manifesto, too, stating he would “slaughter” women “out of hatred, jealousy and revenge…” and referring to death as the “great equalizer.” The investigation revealed that the day he wrote his manifesto, Genco searched online for two sororities, including one at The Ohio State University. His Google searches included “sorority osu” and “ohio state university sororities.”

As part of this investigation, law enforcement agents discovered a note of Genco’s that indicated he hoped to “aim big” for a “huge!” kill count of 3,000 people with a reference to the same date as Elliot Rodger’s attack. The note said Genco intended to attend military training.

In 2019, Genco purchased tactical gloves, a bulletproof vest, a hoodie bearing the word “Revenge,” cargo pants, a bowie knife, a skull facemask, two Glock 17 magazines, a 9mm Glock 17 clip, and a holster clip concealed carry for a Glock.

Genco attended Army Basic Training in Georgia from August through December 2019. He was discharged for entry-level performance and conduct.

On Jan. 11, 2020, Genco wrote a note on his phone entitled “isolated” that he described as “the writings of the deluded and homicidal.” Genco signed the document, “Your hopeful friend and murderer.”

On Jan. 15, 2020, the defendant wrote another note on his phone that appears to document surveillance of an unidentified school. He wrote: “10:53 am, fairly busy, Wednesday, Students seem fairly nerdy, some hipster dull kids as well. The track is primarily unused. Ages vary. The average appears to be early 20s. Car quality is generally mid lower tier. Some sort of building behind the college look into it. They have no check of any sort entering the building. I wasn’t questioned at all. Backpacks are very common.”

That same day, Genco searched online for topics including “planning a shooting crime” and “when does preparing for a crime become an attempt?”

On March 11, 2020, Genco screenshotted information on his phone about radio codes for Columbus police and The Ohio State University police. He also accessed the Facebook pages for one of the university’s sororities.

The next day, on March 12, 2020, Highland County sheriff’s deputies responded to Genco’s residence. At the residence, in the trunk of Genco’s vehicle, police officers found, among other things, a firearm with a bump stock attached, several loaded magazines, body armor and boxes of ammunition. Inside the residence, police officers found a modified Glock-style 9mm semiautomatic pistol, with no manufacturer’s marks or serial number, hidden in a heating vent in Genco’s bedroom. As part of his plea, Genco admitted that he possessed both firearms in furtherance of his plot.

Genco pleaded guilty in October 2022 to one count of attempting to commit a hate crime.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Cheryl Mimura, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Cincinnati Division; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Gaffney Painter and Timothy S. Mangan are representing the United States in this case.

# # #

Source: US FBI

CHICAGO — A member of a violent Chicago street gang has been sentenced to 34 years in federal prison for murdering a man to maintain and increase his position in the gang.

DIONTAE HARPER, 25, of Chicago, admitted in a plea agreement that he murdered Paul Harris on May 13, 2020.  Harper and another man fired multiple shots at Harris as he sat in a vehicle at a gas station in the 8600 block of South Halsted Street in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood. Harper stated in the plea agreement that he committed the murder to maintain and increase his position in the Faceworld street gang, a criminal organization based on the South Side of Chicago whose members engaged in violent crimes and trafficked narcotics.

While Harper was detained in law enforcement custody earlier this year, he made threatening statements directed toward a witness.

Harper pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, causing Harris’s death.  U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah imposed the 34-year prison sentence during a hearing on May 8, 2025, in federal court in Chicago.

Harper’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia Schwartz, Sushma Raju, and Matthew Moyer.

Two other individuals – the other shooter of Harris and the getaway driver – pleaded guilty to committing murder in aid of racketeering and are awaiting sentencing.

Source: US FBI

WASHINGTON – An eight-count indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of Georgia charging 30 defendants – all alleged Sex Money Murder (SMM) gang members and associates – with crimes including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and related firearm and drug trafficking crimes.

According to court documents and statements in court, SMM members and associates engaged in extreme violence to retaliate against fellow members for perceived violations of gang rules. For example, SMM members killed one member who wanted to leave the gang and attempted to kill another by repeatedly stabbing him for alleged homosexual activities while in jail. SMM members profited from trafficking large amounts of deadly drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, throughout the Savannah metropolitan area. They also made money participating in sophisticated fraud schemes targeting federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment benefit programs that resulted in intended losses of over $850,000.

“As alleged, the Sex Money Murder gang, a derivative of the nationally known Bloods gang, brutally enforced its purported rules, killing a 19-year-old member, and engaged in rampant drug trafficking and federal program fraud to enrich themselves,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not rest until every criminal organization like SMM that wreaks havoc on our streets and prison systems and exploits programs meant to support vulnerable populations are dismantled. Thank you to every federal, state, and local law enforcement agency that came together to dismantle this criminal enterprise.”

“Today’s indictment is an important step in ending gang violence on our streets and in our prisons,” said Acting United States Attorney Tara M. Lyons. “My office will continuously work with our law enforcement partners to ensure public safety.”

“The violence and crime this gang committed across our region contributed to an epidemic in our nation. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families who suffer because of this gangs’ activities,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI works with our law enforcement partners every day to crush violent crime in Georgia and our nation.”

“This case demonstrates the relentless coordination and commitment among our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal enterprises like Sex Money Murder,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is proud to have played a critical role in targeting the illegal firearms and narcotics trafficking that fueled this gang’s deadly reach both inside and outside prison walls.”

“This indictment represents a significant step forward in our continued efforts to dismantle violent criminal enterprises operating within Georgia communities and correctional facilities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Director Hosey. “The GBI remains committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to hold gang members accountable and protect the safety and wellbeing of all Georgians.”

“The use of contraband cell phones as a tool to carry out gang activity and other crimes from behind prison walls will not be tolerated and we are proud of our Agents for their role in assisting our law enforcement partners in stopping these individuals from jeopardizing the safety of the public and the operations of our facilities,” said GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “This indictment is a great example of partnerships at every level, ensuring the job of public safety remains paramount.”

According to court documents, on February 24, 2020, Byron Hopkins and other SMM members intercepted a young victim a few hours after he stepped off his school bus. They drove him to a rural residential neighborhood where Hopkins shot him to death. The victim had reportedly expressed a desire to leave the gang after accusing Hopkins of having sexual relations with a minor female who became pregnant. To lure the victim, his, “big brother” in the gang – a person he trusted – sent him a text message claiming there was an important gang meeting he needed to attend. Believing this, the victim willingly got into the vehicle, unaware he was being taken to the site of his execution. This is just one example of SMM’s deadly violence against a member that questioned authority or violated gang rules.

According to court documents and statements made in court, SMM is a subset of The Bloods gang, which originated in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The SMM subset has spread from the Bronx and New York to areas across the East Coast, including Georgia, where it operates inside and outside prisons and jails. The indictment alleges an extensive criminal enterprise in which SMM members, including inmates within the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC), orchestrated numerous crimes, including murders, attempted murders, attempted robberies, drug trafficking within and outside of GDOC facilities, and wire and bank fraud. Seven of the defendants allegedly committed or ordered the charged crimes from prison.

If convicted, the defendants face penalties including up to life in prison or death for the murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm in the commission of a murder; up to life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy and drug conspiracy; up to 30 years for the wire fraud conspiracy; and up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Georgia Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Georgia State Patrol, Hinesville Police Department, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Police Department, Chatham Couty Counternarcotics Team, Savannah Police Department, McRae-Helena Police Department, Police Department, DeKalb Police Department, Brunswick Police Department, and Richmond Hill Police Department.

Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Pennington III for the Southern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

The indictment is a result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. The OCDETF mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task force approach. OCDETF synchronizes and incentivizes prosecutors and agents to lead smart, creative investigations targeting the command-and-control networks of organized criminal groups and the illicit financiers that support them. Additional information about the OCDETF Program may be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

Source: US FBI

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Esequiel Maldonado (46, Texas), Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. (46, Fort Myers), Ron Ramirez, Jr. (23, Texas), and Schuyler Jordan Thompson (31, Virginia) with conspiracy, distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and use of communication facilities in the commission of drug trafficking crimes. If convicted on all counts,Esequiel Maldonado and Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr., because of their prior convictions for serious drug felonies, face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Ramirez and Thompson each face a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 44 years, in federal prison.   

According to court documents, each of the charged individuals played a distinct and critical role in the conspiracy. Esequiel Maldonado was the Texas-based leader of the drug trafficking organization (DTO). He authorized sales of kilogram-quantities of cocaine, served as the DTO’s broker, and set cocaine prices. Ramirez handled logistics and communications. On behalf of Esequiel Maldonado, Ramirez recruited and paid a courier, Thompson. Ramirez arranged for Thompson to fly to Florida and get cocaine supplied by (according to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr.) Los Chapitos, known to law enforcement as a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and to deliver it to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. The cocaine was then distributed by Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. in the Middle District of Florida. Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. also arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Esequiel Maldonado. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Source: US FBI

ROCKFORD — An inmate at Thomson Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been convicted of murder and hate crime in the death of a fellow inmate.

After a seven-day trial, the jury in U.S. District Court in Rockford on Tuesday found BRANDON SIMONSON, also known as “Whitey,” 41, of Moorhead, Minn., guilty of all four counts against him, including second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hate crime, and assault relating to the death of Matthew Phillips.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Aug. 22, 2025.

According to evidence presented at trial, Simonson conspired with a co-defendant, KRISTOPHER MARTIN, to beat Phillips because he was Jewish.  Simonson and Martin assaulted Phillips to gain recognition and membership into a white supremacist anti-semitic prison gang called the Valhalla Bound Skinheads.  Evidence showed Simonson punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, despite Phillips being knocked unconscious and unable to defend himself.  The assault on March 2, 2020, led to Phillips’ death three days later. 

Martin, also known as “No Luck,” 43, of Brazil, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year and is awaiting sentencing.

The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Ronald DeWald.

“We are grateful to the jury for delivering justice in a very difficult case for Mr. Phillips’ family and the people of the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “The significant convictions in this case are the result of the extraordinary dedication and commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners.  We will not tolerate criminal acts such as these anywhere in our district, including in our prison system.”

“The FBI and our law enforcement partners hold those accountable who compromise the safety or lives of others, even those serving sentences in prison,” said FBI SAC DePodesta.  “We continue to ask the public to help keep our communities safe from any acts of violence like those detailed in this case by reporting threatening or suspicious behavior immediately to local law enforcement or the FBI.”

Source: US FBI

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

WILLIAM FILLYAW possessed the drugs and gun on Oct. 28, 2022, in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Gurnee, Ill.  Fillyaw carried a backpack that contained the cocaine packaged in quarter-ounce quantities, the fentanyl wrapped in three square bricks, and the handgun.  Fillyaw intended to sell the fentanyl and cocaine on the streets, and he acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his drug trafficking activities. The firearm had no serial number and had been assembled from a gun kit, making it an untraceable “ghost gun.”

Fillyaw, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges.  U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the 12-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Milwaukee, Wis., Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, Cudahy, Wis. Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol.

“Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  “The increased presence of ghost guns in Chicago, and the country in general, is troubling, as they are often used in crimes and are difficult to trace.”

Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.

Source: US FBI

“CHOUDHURY presented himself as an investment expert promising significant profits with little to no financial risks. He took money from his own family and friends to cover massive trading losses and fund extravagant personal expenses. While fraud of this magnitude can have a lasting impact, we hope CHOUDHURY’s federal prison sentence will bring a sense of justice to his victims,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

The investigation was undertaken by Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley E. Waid.

###

Source: US FBI

            Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Phenix City, Alabama man for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material. On May 12, 2025, a federal judge ordered 46-year-old Corey Joseph Brand to serve 360 months in prison. The judge also ordered that Brand remain on supervised release for five years following his prison term and to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.

            According to Brand’s plea agreement and other court records, in September 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip about the online upload of child sexual abuse materials, including images of a nude young female, using a social media website. The user of the account claimed to be an active-duty soldier in Georgia. The tip was referred to the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), which ultimately identified Brand as the source of the uploads. The investigation revealed that Brand deceptively used another individual’s identity to establish the account. Brand formally served in the Army but had previously been discharged.

            A search warrant was executed at Brand’s residence in Phenix City, where agents examined multiple electronic devices. Forensic analysis revealed numerous images of child sexual abuse materials stored on those devices along with evidence that the images had been distributed to others. Further investigation revealed that Brand had previously used a minor victim to produce child sexual abuse material.

            In 2024, a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama charged Brand with producing and distributing child sexual abuse material. Brand pleaded guilty to those charges on February 7, 2025.

            The Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case, with assistance from the Muscogee County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus, Georgia Police Department, the Phenix City, Alabama Police Department, the Auburn, Alabama Police Department, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Tara S. Ratz prosecuted the case.

            This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

Source: US FBI

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  A dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar business email compromise (BEC) scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and Alamdar S. Hamdani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.

According to court documents, Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo, 45, conspired with others to participate in multiple cyber-enabled BEC schemes that defrauded a North Carolina university of more than $1.9 million, and attempted to steal more than $3 million from victim entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies, and a Houston-area college.

Adeagbo, also known as John Edwards and John Dayo, arrived in the United States in August 2022 after he was extradited from the United Kingdom to face criminal charges filed in Charlotte and in Houston. On April 8, 2024, Adeagbo pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his criminal conduct in both cases, following the transfer of the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

“BEC schemes, like the one perpetrated by Adeagbo and his co-conspirators, are sophisticated and devastating crimes that target the trust businesses and institutions place in their daily operations,” said U.S. Attorney King. “By exploiting this trust, fraudsters steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims. This case demonstrates the commitment of my office and our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for those impacted by these schemes and to hold cybercriminals accountable, regardless of where they are operating from.”

“Adeagbo ran a sophisticated 21st century cyber-criminal operation hiding behind fake email accounts and anonymous internet addresses to steal from the innocent, a crime as old as time itself,” said U.S. Attorney Hamdani. “BEC scams have become an epidemic with individuals and businesses suffering debilitating financial losses, while eroding society’s trust in digital communications and undermining overall economic stability. That’s why prosecutors and agents in two jurisdictions worked tirelessly to identify Adeagbo and reach across the Atlantic to bring him to justice.” 

“Oludayo Adeagbo thought he was pretty slick stealing other people’s money via this scam. His victims, however, strongly disagreed,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI. “Instead of enjoying the fruits of his illegal labors, Adeagbo will now be spending time in a federal prison. The BEC is one of the fastest growing and most costly scams and the only way to fight it is through cooperation, often international cooperation, and this case is a prime example of partnerships working.”

“As a North Carolina University planned for growth with a new construction project, Adeagbo worked on a scheme to defraud the school by stealing nearly two million dollars of its funding,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “When he and his conspirators first committed this business email compromise more than seven years ago, they likely never expected to get caught. This federal prison sentence shows the FBI will do everything possible to find and hold international financial fraudsters accountable.”

“Mr. Adeagbo’s multimillion-dollar BEC scheme inflicted substantial financial damage on trusted educational institutions, government municipalities, and innocent businesses within our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “In a world increasingly reliant on the digital landscape, this sentencing serves as a powerful reminder that cybercrime has real consequences. FBI Houston will continue to investigate, attribute, and impose severe consequences on cyber criminals seeking to harm others through deceit and fraud.”

A BEC scheme, also referred to as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam that often targets individuals, employees, or businesses involved in financial transactions or that regularly perform wire transfer payments. Fraudsters are usually part of larger criminal networks operating in the United States and abroad.

There are many variations of BEC scams. Generally, the schemes involve perpetrators gaining unauthorized access to legitimate email accounts or creating email accounts that closely resemble those of individuals or employees associated with the targeted businesses or involved in business transactions with the victim businesses. The scammers then use the compromised or fake email accounts to send false wiring instructions to the targeted businesses or individuals, to dupe the victims into sending money to bank accounts controlled by perpetrators of the scheme. Generally, the money is quickly transferred to other accounts in the United States or overseas.

The North Carolina BEC Scheme

According to court documents and court proceedings, from August 30, 2016, to January 12, 2017, Adeagbo, his codefendant, Donald Ikenna Echeazu, 42, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom extradited to the United States, and others defrauded a North Carolina university (the University) of more than $1.9 million via a BEC scheme.

Court records show that Adeagbo and his co-conspirators obtained information about significant construction projects occurring throughout the United States, including an ongoing multi-million-dollar project at the University. To execute the scheme, Adeagbo, Echeazu, and others registered a domain name similar to that of the legitimate construction company in charge of the University’s project and created an email address that closely resembled that of an employee of the construction company. Using the fake email address, the fraudsters deceived and directed the University to wire a payment of more than $1.9 million to a bank account controlled by an individual working under the direction of Adeagbo and his co-conspirators. Upon receiving the payment, Adeagbo and his co-conspirators laundered the stolen proceeds through a series of financial transactions designed to conceal the fraud.

The Texas BEC Scheme

According to information contained in court documents, from November 2016 until July 2018, Adeagbo conspired with others to participate in multiple cyber-enabled business email compromises in an attempt to steal more than $3 million from victim entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies and a Houston-area college. As with the scheme in North Carolina, Adeagbo and his co-conspirators registered domain names that looked similar to legitimate companies. They then sent emails from those domains pretending to be employees at those companies to clients or customers of the companies they impersonated and deceived those customers into sending wire payments to bank accounts the co-conspirators controlled.

Adeagbo remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

On May 16, 2023, Echeazu was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release and was ordered to pay $655,408.87 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy. 

As part of his sentence, Adeagbo was sentenced to one year of supervised release following his sentence of incarceration and ordered to pay $942,655.03 in restitution for his role in the scheme. 

The FBI’s Houston Cyber Task Force and Charlotte Field Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI’s Cyber and Criminal Investigative Divisions. The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and Crown Prosecution Service also provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs helped secure the arrest and extradition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings for the Western District of North Carolina, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case.

If you suspect you are a victim of a BEC scheme, you can file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Complaint Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at bec.ic3.gov. The IC3 staff reviews complaints to detect patterns or other indicators of significant criminal activity for potential criminal prosecution. The FBI provides a variety of resources relating to BEC scams through the IC3, which can be located at www.ic3.gov. For more information on BEC scams, visit: www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise