Another 11 Nigerians indicted in US over alleged $6m internet fraud

Another 11 Nigerian nationals in the United States have been charged over alleged involvement in $6m internet fraud, barely two weeks after six Nigerians were also charge for a similar crime.

The US Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, revealed in a statement names of those charged to include Sulaiman Dosunmu, 39; Tunde Adeowo, 40; Muritala Adeowo, 55; Ayanniyi Alayande, 47; Ahmmed Ponle, 41.

Others were Margiettu Kamu, 34; Rafiat Sarumi, 36; Babatunde Oke, 40; Adekunle Owolabi, 49; Olayinka Olaseinde, 42; and Olugbenga Oyedele, 47.

If found guilty, they risk a penalty of 30 years jail and a fine of $1m.

Their charge sheet reads in part, “The defendants are allegedly members of a Nigeria-based, multi-layered organization that engaged in a massive bank fraud conspiracy in several states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Rhode Island, between June 2016 and March 2020.

“Members of the group stole numerous business checks from the United States mail, altered the payee on the checks to a fraudulent name and deposited the checks in bank accounts that had been opened with forged foreign passport documents and fraudulent US visas that matched the names on the stolen checks.

Read also: EFCC arrests 9 suspected internet fraudsters in Abuja

“Members of the organization have used over 400 fraudulent accounts with fake identity documents to defraud the banks.

“The organization also laundered the proceeds of the fraud by several means, including using debit cards to purchase money orders from third-party stores and using those money orders to purchase used automobiles from different automobile auction companies in Pennsylvania.

“The vehicles were then exported to Nigeria and other countries in Africa to launder the stolen funds and to increase profits by selling the vehicles at the higher market values obtained for vehicles in these foreign countries.”

This came barely two weeks after the United States authorities placed sanctions on six Nigerians for alleged internet fraud that caused American citizens and businesses over $6 million losses.

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