Felix Osilama Okpoh, Wanted By FBI For $6 Million Scam Surrenders To EFCC

A Nigerian, Felix Osilama Okpoh, who is wanted by the U.S.

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for his alleged

involvement in a Business Email Compromise (BEC)

scheme that defrauded over 70 different businesses in the

United States, has turned himself in to Nigeria’s anti-graft

agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

(EFCC).

Mr Okpoh, 31, who allegedly conspired with five others to

defraud their American victims of over $6million, was led

to the Lagos office of the EFCC by his father, retired

Colonel Garuba Okpoh and his mother Justina Okpoh.

A spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the

suspect surrendered on September 18 and that

investigations into his case had since commenced.

Mr Uwujaren quoted Mr Okpoh as saying, during

interrogation, that he decided to surrender himself to the

Commission out of respect for his parents and his resolve

to be morally upright.

The FBI accused the suspect of allegedly providing

hundreds of bank accounts to Richard Izuchukwu Uzuh and

other co-conspirators, Alex Afolabi Ogunshakin, Abiola

Ayorinde Kayode, and Nnamdi Orson Benson, that were

used to receive fraudulent wire transfers.

Bank accounts that Mr Okpoh allegedly provided to Mr

Uzuh allegedly received fraudulent wire transfers from

victim businesses totalling over $1million

On August 21, 2019, Mr Okpoh was indicted in the United

States District Court, District of Nebraska, Omaha,

Nebraska, on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.

On August 22, 2019, a federal warrant was issued for his

arrest.

On June 16, 2020, United States Attorney Joe Kelly and

Kristi K. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the Omaha

field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,

announced the unsealing of indictments charging the six

Nigerians for their involvement in the fraud schemes.

“The schemes included individual victims and victim

businesses both in Nebraska and other states,” the U.S.

Department of Justice said in a statement announcing the

indictment. “BECs are sophisticated cybercrimes involving

electronic transfer payments or automated clearinghouse

transfers.”

“The indictments charge the defendants with one or more

of the following violations of federal law: 1) Conspiracy to

commit wire fraud and wire fraud, punishable by up to 20

years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000; 2)

Identity theft and access device fraud, each punishable by

up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to

$250,000.

“The Nigerian nationals charged and still at large are

Richard Uzuh; Micheal Olorunyomi; Alex Ogunshakin; Felix

Okpoh; Abiola Kayode and Nnamdi Benson. An indictment

is a formal accusation returned by a grand jury upon

establishing probable cause. The indictment is not evidence

of guilt and defendants are entitled to a pre

sumption of

innocence. Two related defendants have entered pleas of

guilty. Adewale Aniyeloye was sentenced in the District of

Nebraska to 96 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud.

Onome Ijomone received a 60-month sentence for

conspiracy to commit wire fraud.”