Nigerian man sentenced to 5 years for role in BEC operation | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The man\u2019s co-defendant was previously sentenced to 10 years after being convicted in a jury trial.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nigerian man sentenced to 5 years for role in BEC operation\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The man\u2019s co-defendant was previously sentenced to 10 years after being convicted in a jury trial.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-04T17:39:46+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" 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js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.952380952381\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2024 CyberScoop 50 awards! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/vote\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.135501355014\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"29.89603960396\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/threats\/cybercrime\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The man\u2019s co-defendant was previously sentenced to 10 years after being convicted in a jury trial. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Traffic streaks past the Department of Justice (DOJ) headquarters building late in the evening on May 18, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by J. David Ake\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"23.003723932473\"><body readability=\"46.888640179071\"><\/p>\n<p>A Nigerian man who pleaded guilty to participating in multiple business email compromise schemes over several years was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday and ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution.<\/p>\n<p>Franklin Ifeanyichukwu Okwanna, 34, pleaded guilty May 20 to his role in the operation, federal prosecutors said in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edva\/pr\/two-foreign-nationals-sentenced-victimizing-us-companies-through-business-email\">a statement<\/a>. Ebuka Raphael Umeti, 35, Okwanna\u2019s co-defendant, was convicted June 13 for his role and sentenced to 10 years in prison, as well as nearly $5 million in restitution, prosecutors said. <\/p>\n<p>Okwanna and Umeti\u2019s operation targeted multiple companies and caused more than $5 million in losses between February 2016 and July 2021, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.vaed.528296\/gov.uscourts.vaed.528296.67.0.pdf\">court documents<\/a>. The pair, along with co-conspirators, used phishing emails to compromise targeted computer systems and email accounts, which were then used to induce targets to send wire transfers, according to the court record.<\/p>\n<p>Okwanna told the judge in his case that he was sorry for his actions. \u201cIn my selfish head, I was blinded by my financial problems that I thought only of my material gain,\u201d he said in a letter to the judge. \u201cI knew it was wrong but I didn\u2019t get myself to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Letters submitted by family members and one local orphanage argued for a lenient sentence, saying Okwanna supported his family and community. <\/p>\n<p>Business email compromise, also known as \u201cBEC,\u201d occurs when attackers target businesses and individuals responsible for legitimate transfer-of-funds requests, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ic3.gov\/Media\/Y2023\/PSA230609\">FBI said in a June 2023 public service announcement<\/a>. There were nearly 278,000 BEC incidents globally between October 2013 and December 2022, according to the FBI, leading to more than $50 billion in \u201cexposed dollar\u201d losses, meaning actual and attempted dollars stolen. <\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"1.1946902654867\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"8\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"AJ Vicens\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by AJ Vicens<\/h4>\n<p> AJ covers nation-state threats and cybercrime. He was previously a reporter at Mother Jones. Get in touch via Signal\/WhatsApp: (810-206-9411). <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Government<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Technology<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Geopolitics<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/main> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--bottom \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"interstitial\" class=\"welcome__container\"> <button id=\"close-modal-1\" class=\"welcome__clickable_area\"><\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"welcome__ad_wrapper\">\n<p> <button id=\"close-modal-3\" class=\"welcome__continue-button\">Continue to CyberScoop<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <\/body> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nigerian man sentenced to 5 years for role in BEC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2336,282,2589,60],"tags":[2338,286,2590,67],"class_list":["post-5142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-email-compromise-bec","category-cybercrime","category-nigeria","category-phishing","tag-business-email-compromise-bec","tag-cybercrime","tag-nigeria","tag-phishing"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/business-email-compromise-bec\/\" rel=\"category tag\">business email compromise (BEC)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybercrime\/\" rel=\"category tag\">cybercrime<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/nigeria\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Nigeria<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/phishing\/\" rel=\"category tag\">phishing<\/a>","tag_info":"phishing","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5142"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5142\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":5142,"date":"2024-09-04T12:39:46","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T17:39:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81634"},"modified":"2024-09-04T12:39:46","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T17:39:46","slug":"nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/09\/04\/nigerian-man-sentenced-to-5-years-for-role-in-bec-operation\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigerian man sentenced to 5 years for role in BEC operation"},"content":{"rendered":"