NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Nigerian citizen living in Newark, N.J. was sentenced on Tuesday in New Haven federal court for participating in a business email compromise scheme that operated out of multiple countries, including the United States.
A release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut reported that Tolulope Samuel Bodunde, 33, was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Court documents and statements made in court revealed that Bodunde partook in a business email compromise scheme masterminded by his co-conspirator, Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, also a Nigerian citizen. The group of criminals acquired money by targeting specific people and businesses. They pretended to be trustworthy entities in electronic communications.
Prosecutors said the criminal network used unwitting and witting “money mules” to receive fraud proceeds in their bank accounts and transferred those funds to accounts under Osuji’s control. Over the course of the operation, which lasted several years, multiple victims were tricked into transferring money into bank accounts that they believed were under the control of legitimate recipients of the funds as part of normal business operations.
According to prosecutors, the bank accounts were actually controlled by Osuji and his co-conspirators. Among the victims was a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, a New York-based food and beverage company and others.
Bodunde reportedly exploited elderly women through romance scams to serve as unwitting money mules. On Tuesday, Bodunde was ordered by a judge to pay $494,939 in restitution to three victims of the scheme.
After being arrested on Aug. 7, 2020, Bodunde pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft offenses stemming from the scheme on Feb. 16. He must report to prison on Nov. 19.
On May 1, a jury found Osuji guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud and identity theft fraud offenses connected to the theme; he is detained while awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors say that a third alleged co-conspirator is pending extradition proceedings.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department investigated the case. They received assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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