US Court Jails Nigerian Man 90 Months Over $1.2m Business Email Fraud Scheme
A United States court has sentenced James Junior Aliyu to 90 months in prison for his role in a large-scale wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy linked to a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
According to prosecutors, Aliyu, a Nigerian national, was part of a syndicate that targeted businesses by hacking email accounts and sending fraudulent payment instructions to unsuspecting victims. He was extradited from South Africa to face trial in the United States and has also been ordered to forfeit $1.2 million.
The case was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Evan Campanella. Authorities said the prosecution highlights the growing scale and coordination of cyber-enabled financial crimes.
Court filings show that on June 24, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Aliyu along with co-defendants Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo and Henry Onyedikachi Echefu on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment was unsealed on July 6, 2022, following their arrests outside the United States, after which they were extradited to stand trial.
Investigators revealed that between February and July 2017, the group carried out a coordinated BEC scheme by gaining unauthorised access to email accounts belonging to individuals and businesses. They then sent spoofed emails containing false wire transfer instructions, tricking victims into transferring funds into accounts controlled by the fraud network.
The conspirators also engaged in money laundering activities to conceal the origin of the stolen funds. This included moving money through multiple accounts, withdrawing cash, issuing cashier’s checks, and writing cheques to obscure ownership and evade detection.
Aliyu was the last of three defendants to plead guilty in the case, while eight others had earlier admitted guilt in related prosecutions within the District of Maryland.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to tackling transnational cybercrime and warned that individuals involved in such schemes would be pursued and brought to justice regardless of location.
