Convicted international fraudster, Obinwanne Okeke, popularly known as Invictus Obi, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for fraud.
Chief District Judge, Rebecca Smith sentenced the Nigerian after he was convicted for involving in a computer-based intrusion fraud plot that caused known losses of approximately $11m to his victims.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S Attorney for Eastern District of Virginia said: “Through subterfuge and impersonation, Obinwanne Okeke engaged in a multi-year global business email and computer hacking scheme that caused a staggering $11 million in losses to his victims.
“Today’s sentence further demonstrates EDVA’s and FBI’s worldwide reach in vigorously pursuing justice on behalf of American victims and others and holding international cybercriminals accountable, no matter where they commit their crimes.”
The 33-year-old Obinwanne Okeke, operated a group of companies known as the Invictus Group. The companies are based in Nigeria and abroad.
He made the list of Forbes 30 under 30 category due to his business exploits and wealth.
Between 2015 and 2019, Okeke and others conspired to perpetrate a lot of computer-based frauds. The conspirators accessed and compiled the credentials of many of victims which include victims in the Eastern District of Virginia.
As part of the plot, Okeke and his cohorts delved into an email compromise scheme that targeted Unatrac Holding Limited, Caterpillar heavy industrial and farm equipment’s export sales office.
A Unatrac executive became a victim of a phishing email that permitted conspirators to capture login credentials in April 2008. The conspirators forwarded wire transfer requests that were fraudulent and attached invoices that were fake. Okeke was part of those that participated in the effort to victimise Unatrac via fraudulent wire transfers which totals almost $11m that was transferred overseas.
Furthermore, Okeke carried out other forms of cyberfraud like sending phishing emails to get email credentials, manufacturing fraudulent web pages, and making other numerous victims suffer losses.
After the sentencing, Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, said: “The FBI will not allow cyber criminals free reign in the digital world to prey on U.S. companies.
“This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners at the Department of Justice and our foreign counterparts to locate cyber criminals across the globe and bring them to the United States to be held accountable.”
