Another Nigerian identified as Charles Onus has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly diverting $800,000 into prepaid debit cards in the United States.
The amount in Nigerian currency is equivalent to N320 million at the current official rate of N410 per dollar.
Onus’ arrest is coming less than a month after Abidemi Rufai, an aide to the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, was arrested for fraud in the United States.
The United States Department of Justice posted the arrest of the suspect on its website, saying Onus was arrested and detained on April 14, in San Francisco.
He was subsequently presented before the Manhattan federal court on Wednesday and charged for hacking over 5,500 company user accounts.
He was allegedly involved in a scheme that stole nearly $1 million by hacking into a payroll processing company’s system to access user accounts and divert payroll to prepaid debit cards he controlled.
The statement read in part; “As alleged, Onus did this as effectively as someone who commits bank burglary, but with no need for a blowtorch or bolt-cutters. Thanks to the FBI and IRS-CI, Onus is in custody and facing serious federal charges.”
In the indictments filed against him in court, Onus allegedly participated in the scheme between July 2017 through about 2018, obtaining over 5,500 company user accounts through a cyber-intrusion technique referred to as “credential stuffing.”
Part of the statement also read; “After Onus successfully gained unauthorized access to a company user account, he changed the bank account information designated by the user of the account so that Onus would receive the user’s payroll to a prepaid debit card that was under Onus’ control.
“From at least in or about July 2017 through at least in or about 2018, at least approximately 5,500 company user accounts were compromised and more than approximately $800,000 in payroll funds were fraudulently diverted to prepaid debit cards, including those under the control of Onus.”
