A court in the United States has sentenced Invictus Obi, also known as Obinwanne Okeke, to 10 years in prison.
Okeke’s sentence follows his culpability in a computer-based intrusion fraud that racked up $11 million.
The fraud was perpetrated through the Nigeria-based Invictus Group helmed by 33-year-old Okeke.
Speaking on the scheme orchestrated by Invictus and his group, the Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Raj Parekh, 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.”
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Okeke and his accomplices defrauded their victims from 2015-2019, obtaining information of hundreds of people in the Virginia District.
Explaining further the depth of the scheme, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said that an executive of Unatrac Holding Limited – an export sales office for contsruction company Caterpillar – was a victim of the scheme.
The office said, “In April 2018, a Unatrac executive fell prey to a phishing email that allowed conspirators to capture login credentials.
“The conspirators sent fraudulent wire transfer requests and attached fake invoices. Okeke participated in the effort to victimize Unatrac through fraudulent wire transfers totaling nearly $11 million, which was transferred overseas.
“Additionally, Okeke engaged in other forms of cyberfraud, including sending phishing emails to capture email credentials, creating fraudulent web pages, and causing other losses to numerous victims.
“The FBI will not allow cybercriminals free reign in the digital world to prey on U.S. companies,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office.
“This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners at the Department of Justice and our foreign counterparts to locate cybercriminals across the globe and bring them to the United States to be held accountable.”
