Rajhni Yankana, 27, Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Amazon of $210,000

A Bridgeport man has been caught in a brazen scheme to defraud Amazon out of nearly $210,000. Rajhni Yankana, 27, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a US District Court in Hartford, Connecticut.

According to court documents, Yankana created multiple vendor accounts with Amazon, using false names and identifying information to set up the accounts. He then claimed to be shipping valuable merchandise to Amazon, but in reality, he did not send the items.

Yankana would then falsely claim that the merchandise had been lost, providing fabricated documents to support his claims. Amazon, unaware of the scheme, sent Yankana refunds for the purportedly lost merchandise.

The government contends that Amazon lost approximately $210,000 as a result of Yankana’s criminal conduct. Yankana faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the offense.

Yankana is being held on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for January 6, 2023. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Conor M. Reardon and Christopher W. Schmeisser.

The case highlights the increasing threat of cybercrime and the need for vigilance in online transactions. Amazon has taken steps to prevent such schemes in the past, including implementing stricter vendor verification processes.

As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen how widespread Yankana’s scheme was and whether others were involved. One thing is certain, however: Yankana’s actions have earned him a spot in the annals of cybercrime history.

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