⏱ 2 min read
A $50 million email scam that bilked small businesses and individuals in Brooklyn and across the US has landed a Nigerian national behind bars. Animashaun Adebo, aka ‘Kazeem,’ pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in a Brooklyn federal court.
The scam, which netted more than $50 million in losses, involved business email compromise (BEC) and romance scams. Co-conspirators would misappropriate victim funds and launder them through shell company accounts in the US and abroad.
According to authorities, the scammers used unsuspecting middlemen to further obscure the fraudulent source of the funds. ‘The defendant and his network of thieves inflicted significant financial hardship and distress on innocent victims,’ said USSS Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool.
Adebo’s sentence is expected to send a message to other cyber-criminals: ‘You won’t get away with your crimes forever. We will track you down and there will be significant consequences for your misdeeds.’
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Cybercrime
- Defendant: New York
- Location: NY
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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