I am glad to see they caught someone and will prosecute. I am puzzled as to why this is not a priority with our government. Here is the story:

CHICAGO – A man from Nigeria has been arrested after being accused of running a $50 million scheme that targeted Chicago companies.

Olalekan Jacob Ponle allegedly got an unnamed Chicago-based company to wire transfer more than $15 million. Another local company lost $2.3 million, but investigators believe the scheme is worth more than $50 million.

Sources pointed WGN Investigates to his Instagram feed which looks like a lifestyle of the rich and famous.

Here’s how prosecutors said the alleged scheme worked.

Either he or his co-conspirators were able to gain access to company’s email accounts through a phishing attack.

In one of the Chicago cases, they allegedly sent an email that appeared to be from the company’s Chief Accounting Officer to another employee ordering the a transfer.

The criminal complaint says “The fraudulent email was almost identical to a prior, legitimate email” right down to the name on the bank account. But the account “number” was different.

Federal agents said Ponle’s scheme spanned at least 9 months last year.

During that time, one of his Instagram posts read: “Money don’t make a man, a man makes money.”

Ponle is a Nigerian national and was taken into custody in the United Arab Emirates. UAE expelled him and federal agents brought Ponle to Chicago Thursday night for an initial court appearance Friday morning.

A detention hearing is schedule for late next week.
LINK: https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-inv...d-chicago-companies/

Welcome to Florence, CO. Mr. Ponle! Meet your new roommate, Mr. Kaczynski!

I hope he fries if he is guilty, thieven thief’s need to fry.

If only these Nigerians and their relatives in Ghana could apply their obvious computer literacy skill to the betterment of their own shi- countries, rather than use them by climbing on the backs of others, the world would be a better place.

It will cost him, but Al or Jesse will play the race card for him.

I heard of this scam before. An American business owner traveling internationally had his email compromised and the scammers sent an email to his assistant to wire money for a deal he was working on. She sent it without calling to confirm with the boss.

But really, any company that falls victim to this has really bad IT and accounting controls in place. Two factor authentication for all email accounts is the norm now, and significantly reduces illegal access.

Second, I cannot comprehend how a large wire transfer could be authorized by email, even from a CFO or CEO. There should be systems that must be logged into securely to approve transactions by the delegation of authority relative to the amount.

Granted security protocols were not in place. I remain puzzled why our government tends not to prosecute these scammers. At least once per week I get some sort of scam solicitation from Nigeria.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Granted security protocols were not in place. I remain puzzled why our government tends not to prosecute these scammers. At least once per week I get some sort of scam solicitation from Nigeria.

Because few, of any, are on the United States. And they are in places that don’t/won’t to assist or help the US bring them in.

People are stupid. They get a call that there’s a warrant for their arrest for jury duty, and they run straight to Walgreens and buy $2000 worth of Itunes cards to pay their “bail”. Because, you know, every time you deal with the government, you pay for things in Itunes gift cards. The cards are then used to purchase items, and turned into cash. The cash is used to float other lucrative scams as front money.

As long as the majority of people continue to be dumb and fall for it, this will continue.

And don’t forget, the growing call to cease Money seizures by LE. Each time there is an asset forfeiture thread, I bring seizing these scam accounts up. The butthurt flows, the excuses start.

People in the US need to make up their minds what they want. So they want this stoped, or not? If the answer is yes, not only do we have to start seizing accounts, but we have to start shutting down banks that allow themselves to be pass through holders. Wells Fargo runs heavy duty cover for these guys.

^^^^^^^^^^
Granted most are in foreign countries. This guy was in the UAE. Did they go after him because of the amount of money??

Or someone had some juice with a US Attorney. Or above.

^^^
Thanks.