E-Mail Scheme Targeted CEOs, CFOs At CT And U.S. Companies: Feds

A 32-year-old Nigerian citizen - who is a lawful permanent resident of the United States - waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Friday "to a fraud offense stemming from his role in a business e-mail compromise scheme" that targeted businesses in Connecticut and the U.S. The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.

Olumuyiwa Yahtrip Adejumo, also known as "Ade," "Slimwaco," "Waco," "Waco Jamon," "Hade" and "Hadey," of Toledo, Ohio, and his co-conspirator Adeyemi Odufuye and others "targeted CEOs, CFOs, controllers and others at U.S. businesses using sophisticated cyber techniques to defraud the businesses."

According to court documents and prosecutors, Adejumo and the others sent e-mails addressed to executives that were made to appear to be sent from the legitimate e-mail address of the CEO or other executive from the business. Adejumo and his co-conspirators sent the e-mails with the intent of having the recipients send or wire money to bank accounts used by members of the conspiracy.

As a result of this scheme, victimized businesses have suffered more than $2 million in total losses, including one unnamed company in Torrington that lost more than $500,000. In pleading guilty, Adejumo admitted that his participation in the scheme caused total losses of more than $100,000 to at least three victims in Ohio, Illinois and the District of Columbia.

"The investigation revealed that scheme participants controlled multiple e-mail and social media accounts used in the scheme and, in certain instances, sent e-mails and attachments containing malware to the intended recipients," according to prosecutors.

Adejumo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven in July. He has been detained since his arrest in November 2017.

His co-conspirator Odufuye, also known as "Micky," "Micky Bricks," "Yemi," "GMB," "Bawz," and "Jefe," also is a citizen of Nigeria, and was arrested in the United Kingdom in December 2016. Odufuye was a student at Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England.

Odufuye was extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. and, in January, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He has also been detained while he awaits sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Cyber Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.

U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police for their assistance in this case.

To contact the Connecticut Cyber Task Force, please call the FBI in New Haven at 203-777-6311.

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