OBINWANNE ‘INVICTUS OBI’ OKEKE SENTENCED TO A 10-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR FRAUD
Nigerian entrepreneur and CEO of Invictus Group, Obinwanne Okeke, popularly known as Invictus Obi, has been sentenced to a 10-year jail term for computer and wire fraud by an American court.
Okeke was found guilty of causing approximately $11 million in known losses to his victims between 2015 and 2019. He had earlier pleaded guilty to the crimes in June.
According to court documents, Obinwanne Okeke operated a group of companies known as the Invictus Group based in Nigeria and elsewhere. From approximately 2015 to 2019, Okeke and others engaged in a conspiracy to conduct various computer-based frauds. The conspirators obtained and compiled the credentials of hundreds of victims, including victims in the Eastern District of Virginia.
As part of the scheme, Okeke and other conspirators engaged in an email compromise scheme targeting Unatrac Holding Limited, the export sales office for Caterpillar heavy industrial and farm equipment. 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 totalling nearly $11 million, which was transferred overseas.
Additionally, Okeke engaged in other forms of cyber fraud, including sending phishing emails to capture email credentials, creating fraudulent web pages, and causing other losses to numerous victims.
Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia 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.”
Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office said, “The FBI will not allow cybercriminals free reign in the digital world to prey on U.S. companies. 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.”
