HOUSTON, Texas — Seven people in multiple states have been indicted in connection with a massive business email compromise (BEC) scheme, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Those indicted include Amber Bush, 29, of Houston, Texas, who is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan on October 15.
The preferred indictment also names Bolaji Okunu, 30, and Philip Ogbeide Jr., 34, both of Houston, Texas. Ayodeji Okunu, 25 years old, lives in Austin, Texas. Victor Rubio Jr., 27, and Booger Robert Linares Soto, 42, both of Los Angeles, California. Destini Godfrey, 30, of Houston, Texas, remains at large and there is an outstanding warrant for her arrest. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000. are.
All defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. According to the indictment, the BEC scheme allegedly tricked victims into transferring funds to accounts controlled by co-conspirators, resulting in millions of dollars in losses. The indictment alleges that the co-conspirators posed as legitimate businesses, accessed business email accounts, and used the spoofed email addresses to defraud victims into making fraudulent payments.
This scam affected numerous victims across the country, including a financial services company in Oregon, a township in New Jersey, a demolition company in Texas, a medical liability insurance company in Georgia, and a nutritional products manufacturer in suburban Texas. It is said that he gave. According to the charges, the co-conspirators allegedly directed the victims to transfer money to new bank accounts unrelated to the actual vendor.
The indictment further alleges that the co-conspirators laundered the money by rapidly transferring funds between accounts they controlled and gradually withdrawing the proceeds in cash. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy and money laundering, and up to five years in prison for money laundering and illegal money transfer. There is. Each charge carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
The FBI’s Bryan Field Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division led the investigation, with assistance from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, the New Jersey Edison Police Department, other law enforcement agencies, and federal prosecutors’ offices nationwide. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and James Hu are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal activity, not evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty through due process of law.