19th June, 2020
Obinwanne Okeke, chairman of Invictus Group who was arrested by the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigations, has pleaded guilty to $11 million (N4.2 billion) fraud charge.
The Forbes-celebrated entrepreneur was arrested in August, 2019 for allegedly being the ringleader of a cybercrime syndicate.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted Okeke’s plea
Court documents showed that Obinwanne Okeke, 32, and other conspirators engaged in a conspiracy from approximately 2015 to 2019 to conduct various computer based frauds.
The conspirators obtained and compiled the credentials of hundreds of victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, said a statement by U.S.attorney’s office for Eastern Virginia.
“As part of the scheme, Okeke and others engaged in an email compromise scheme targeting Unatrac Holding Limited, the export sales office for Caterpillar heavy industrial and farm equipment.
“In April 2018, a Unatrac executive fell prey to a phishing email that allowed conspirators to capture login credentials.
“The conspirators sent fraudulent wire transfer requests and attached fake invoices. Okeke participated in the effort to victimize Unatrac through fraudulent wire transfers totalling nearly $11 million, which funds were transferred overseas.
Okeke pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 22.
According to the attorney’s office, actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
“A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted Okeke’s guilty plea on Thursday.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Mattis are prosecuting the case.