Nigerian suspect on FBI wanted list for $6m scam surrenders to EFCC

A Nigerian, Felix Osilama Okpoh, who is wanted by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for alleged involvement in a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme that defrauded over 70 different businesses in the United States, has turned himself in to Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Okpoh, 31, who allegedly conspired with five others to defraud their American victims of over $6 million, was led to the Lagos office of the EFCC by his father, retired Colonel Garuba Okpoh and his mother Justina Okpoh.

A spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspect surrendered on September 18 and that investigations into his case had commenced.
Uwujaren quoted Okpoh as saying during interrogation that he decided to surrender himself to the EFCC out of respect for his parents and his resolve to be morally upright.

The FBI accused the suspect of allegedly providing hundreds of bank accounts to Richard Izuchukwu Uzuh and other co-conspirators, Alex Afolabi Ogunshakin, Abiola Ayorinde Kayode, and Nnamdi Orson Benson, that were used to receive fraudulent wire transfers.
Bank accounts that Okpoh allegedly provided to Uzuh allegedly received fraudulent wire transfers from victim businesses totalling over $1 million.

On August 21, 2019, Okpoh was indicted in the U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska, Omaha, on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. On August 22, 2019, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest.

On June 16, 2020, United States Attorney Joe Kelly and Kristi K. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the Omaha field office of the FBI, announced the unsealing of indictments charging the six Nigerians for their involvement in the fraud schemes.

“The schemes included individual victims and victim businesses both in Nebraska and other states,” the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement announcing the indictment. “BECs are sophisticated cybercrimes involving electronic transfer payments or automated clearinghouse transfers.”