John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that OLUMUYIWA YAHTRIP ADEJUMO, also known as “Ade," “Slimwaco," “Waco," “Waco Jamon," “Hade" and “Hadey," 32, of Toledo, Ohio, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a fraud offense stemming from his role in a business e-mail compromise scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, ADEJUMO, his co-conspirator Adeyemi Odufuye and others targeted CEOs, CFOs, controllers and others at U.S. businesses using sophisticated cyber techniques to defraud the businesses. ADEJUMO and his co-conspirators sent e-mails addressed to executives that were made to appear to be sent from the legitimate e-mail address of the CEO or other executive from the business. ADEJUMO and his co-conspirators sent the e-mails with the intent of having the recipients send or wire money to bank accounts used by members of the conspiracy.
The investigation revealed that scheme participants controlled multiple e-mail and social media accounts used in the scheme and, in certain instances, sent e-mails and attachments containing malware to the intended recipients.
As a result of this scheme, victimized businesses have suffered more than $2 million in total losses. One company in Torrington, Connecticut, lost more than $500,000.
In pleading guilty, ADEJUMO admitted that his participation in the scheme caused total losses of more than $100,000 to at least three victims in Ohio, Illinois and the District of Columbia.
ADEJUMO pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on July 26, 2018.
ADEJUMO is a citizen of Nigeria and a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. He has been detained since his arrest on Nov. 16, 2017.
Odufuye, also known as “Micky," “Micky Bricks," “Yemi," “GMB," “Bawz," and “Jefe," is a citizen of Nigeria. On Dec. 19, 2016, he was arrested in the United Kingdom where he was a student at Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Odufuye was extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. and, on Jan. 3, 2018, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Cyber Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police for their assistance in this case.
To contact the Connecticut Cyber Task Force, please call the FBI in New Haven at 203-777-6311.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
