A trio of three men had a successful criminal operation going. They stole money, distributed malware, and committed fraud on a large scale. Now two of them are standing trial.
Who was convicted? Have you ever received an email from a Nigerian prince? Yes? Then you belong to the millions of people who have been targeted by this scam. Whether the now 35-year-old Ebuka Raphael Umet has ever posed as a nobleman, we do not know. But in any case, the Nigerian citizen stole millions of dollars with two accomplices, according to US authorities.
What crimes have they committed? The list is quite extensive but can be summarized simply as follows:
- Schemes to steal money via email (so-called
Business Email Compromise (BEC)
) - Distributing malware
- Attacking protected computers
In total, Americans and US businesses suffered damage of around 1.5 million US dollars.
Umet and his accomplice Franklin, 34, Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna (also from Nigeria), were found guilty by a jury. A third person, who allegedly completed the trio according to prosecutors, has not yet stood trial, more on that below.
A borderline case of legality and illegality were the events surrounding The Day Before:
Two convicted, one remains
Why is the main defendant facing 102 years in prison? The 102 years are calculated from the combined maximum sentences for the accumulated crimes.
- Conspiracy to commit internet fraud: 27 years
- Three counts of internet fraud: 60 years
- Conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to protected computers: 5 years
- Intentional causing of damage to protected computers: 10 years
Is he really facing 102 years in prison? Probably not, as these are maximum sentences and the judge must also consider other aspects. However, both convicted individuals will likely have much time to reflect on their years of criminal activities in prison.
Why were he and his accomplice prosecuted in the US? The trio committed crimes against US citizens and companies. In this case, the United States is eager to prosecute the defendants in their own country. This was made possible in the case of Ebuka Raphael Umet and Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwonna due to an extradition agreement between the US and Nigeria.
What about the third member of the group? Mohammed Naji Mohammedali Butaish is a citizen of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As such, he is difficult for the US to prosecute since there is no agreement for the exchange or handover of defendants between the US and the desert state.
In a completely different kind of fraud, but imposed with unexpectedly draconian penalties in Turkey, we tell you about in another article. Because what a candidate for a university career attempted during a state exam will likely haunt him for the rest of his life: His cheating attempt with a camera, mobile phone, and AI failed, but the police were quite impressed.
