Details of how Tamale ‘Sakawa King’ and his gang executed $15m fraud

The United States Department of Justice through the The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released details of how notorious Tamale cyber fraudster, Maxwell Atugba Peter, 26, and his gang cunningly executed the $15 million fraud.

Maxwell Peter and his cartel since 2012 had defrauded U.S. companies and citizens of approximately $15 million, MyNewsGh.com can report.

Eight individuals have so far been arrested for their roles in the widespread, Africa-based cyber conspiracy after wire transfers from businesses and individuals, including many senior citizens while the Department announced Operation Keyboard Warrior, an effort coordinated by United States and international law enforcement to disrupt online frauds perpetrated from Africa.

The suspects include; Javier Luis Ramos Alonso, 28, a Mexican citizen residing in Seaside, California; James Dean, 65, of Plainfield, Indiana; Dana Brady, 61, of Auburn, Washington and Rashid Abdulai, 24

The rest are, Maxwell Atugba Abayeta aka Maxwell Peter, 26, and Babatunde Martins, 62, of Ghana and Benard Emurhowhoariogho Okorhi, 39, a Nigerian citizen who resides in Ghana.

Details of how the whole scam was executed is revealed below;

Martins, Maxwell, Bernard Okorhi, Victor Okorhi, and/or Miah would get the IP addresses of potentially vulnerable email servers and target them for intrusion.

Using US based IP addresses offered through VPN services, they would access a variety of websites, including credit card transaction processors and dating websites. Their role in the conspiracy also included originating the spoofed emails that will be explained later.

Martins, both Okorhis, Maxwell, Miah, Wumpini, Brady, Dean, Ojo, and others would open bank accounts for receiving fraudulently-obtained funds and sending them to other accounts controlled by their co-conspirators.

Because they had control of email accounts at Crye-Leike, they could tell when fund transfers related to real estate sales were scheduled to take place. They would then spoof the email addresses of those involved in the transactions and send instructions causing the financial transfers to be redirected to accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy.

The funds were then laundered in a variety of ways, including using the funds to purchase goods, including construction materials, cell phones, and other electronics, and having those goods shipped to Ghana for use or resale to benefit the members of the conspiracy.

Maxwell, Miah, and both Okorhis created false identities and created dating profiles with false emails to correspond to their false dating profiles.

Through these, they lured victims into online romance scams, gold-buying scams, and a variety of advanced fee fraud scams. These romance scam victims would carry out acts on behalf of the conspiracy, including forwarding counterfeit checks, receiving and shipping merchandise, and transferring proceeds via wire, US Mail, ocean freight, and express package delivery services.