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| Dan M. Russell Jr. United States Courthouse in Gulfport, Mississippi My courtroom was on the 7th floor |
I have
and a few feet below sea level in scuba gear
Nigerian men and women ran an operation based in South Africa which was first noticed and reported by a Mississippi woman who was the victim of one of their a romance scams. As Special Agents dug deeper, they uncovered hundreds of victims associated with a wide network of numerous complex financial internet fraud schemes.
These schemes included: the aformentioned romance scams; re-shipping scams; fraudulent check and work-at-home scams; and bank, financial, and credit card account take-overs. There were advance check schemes where a victim receives a check and was asked to deposit it, then send money by Western Union, MoneyGram, or prepaid credit cards to another person, only to find out that the check the victim received was not valid.
In my case, and unknown to me, my name, birthdate, address, email address, and social security number were taken without my knowledge and used to open accounts that helped the criminals move money around. Fortunately, none of my money was touched.
(As an aside, before my appearance in court, I mentioned a couple of different times where my identify had been stolen in the last few years, and I had to re-do all my credit cards. And I mentioned the famous OPM (the U.S. Office of Personnel Management) case that resulted in me getting an identify theft service paid for by the US government. The prosecuting attorney said in both credit card cases: “Oh! That’s interesting. But that’s not this case.” And. “Oh, yeah. I got caught up in that OPM thing too. But that’s not this case.”)
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| At any minute, the cross-examination can turn into a charge of murder! |
Let’s skip right to my part in the trial.
“You’re up, sir” said the Homeland Security Special Agent as he poked his head into the anteroom where I was waiting. I rose and followed him around the corner to the courtroom doors.
(Those Homeland Security Special Agents were exceptionally competent and nice people. I really enjoyed hanging out with them. So I avoided the stupid joke that constantly cropped up in my head: “What makes you so special?” At the end of the day, I did feel they were pretty special.)
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| Juries, scarier than clowns! |
I had studiously avoided looking at anyone in the jury. I think I got that from some TV crime show where they told the defendant not to do that. It is hard not to feel like the defendant when all eyes are on you. And, as humans, don’t we all harbor private feelings of guilt? Peripheral glances that involved no eye contact told me that there were 12 different attitudes and emotions awaiting me if I got engaged. One lady looked angry, a man looked bored, another looked like he had made up his mind a long time ago that he thought the defendants were guilty.
I had been kept out of the courtroom up to this point. Apparently this had something to do with making sure my testimony wasn’t tainted? As you will see, what I had to say was pretty straightforward. Anyway, there wasn’t any rule against me hearing about things that were unfolding in the trial second hand. Thus, the occasional insight I mention in this tale.
“Please answer all questions out loud because the court recorder here (he gestured at a nice lady below and in front of him) can’t hear a nod.”
“Please talk into the microphone, but don’t get too close.”
“Please just answer questions you are asked.”
He had a very practiced but friendly manner that really put me at ease. He spoke with the kind politeness of a man who knows deep in his bones that he will always be obeyed without question.
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| In my case, the prosecutors sat in the center of the room, the defendants and their lawyers formed an “L” to their right. They were still pretty close together. |
I wasn’t worried at all about the prosecutor embarrassing me. As you will see, the questions were pretty easy. But each of the three defendants had their own lawyer who had the option to cross-examine. And, as I mentioned, one or two of them had already played a few theatrics up to this point. For instance, an older lady who had appeared in levi’s and a sweat shirt (I had opted to wear a suit and tie) seemed a very nice person–probably a housewife and grandma. But the defense attorney had googled her name as she was queried by the prosecutor. When his turn came, he started asking her irrelevant personal questions associated with his google search. This, of course, startled her. But the prosecutor objected and the judge sustained…just like on Perry Mason.
“Is this your home address?” yes, that’s it, oh, except they spelled “Ogden” wrong (Odgen)
It went on pretty much like this for about 5 or 10 minutes. One spreadsheet entry after another. Not very gripping TV drama, frankly.
Finally, the questions were done and the defendant’s lawyers had their turn. The first one declined. “Just two more need to decline,” I thought. “And I will avoid the Perry Mason interrogation.
Lawyer number two, the one who had famously checked his google on the nice lady, decided that he had questions for me.
“Well, colonel…” He started out.
Well, the reality was he thought he was Perry Mason, but he wasn’t. He thanked me for my service and I said something like “you’re welcome.” I tried not to change my body language, gestures, tone, or any other non-verbal communication throughout my court appearance. Which probably meant I continued to look intimidating.
He said some more nice things about me and asked some questions about how I wrote a lot and spoke a lot and otherwise hinted that I had a large internet presence. I agreed with all that.
He petered out and sat down.
I never was very good at following choreography.
================
postscript
The most asked question has been: “Did you have to pay for your plane ticket and hotel?” My answer is always: “No, YOU did… as a taxpayer. But don’t worry, they weren’t extravagant!”
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post-postscript
On February 7, 2017, a jury returned the following verdict(s) involving the defendant, Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan:
| Number of Charges |
Description of Charge(s) | Disposition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attempt and conspiracy fraud | Guilty |
| 1 | Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US | Guilty |
| 2 | Mail Fraud – Frauds and swindles | Guilty |
| 1 | Laundering of monetary instruments | Guilty |
| 4 | Mail Fraud – Frauds and swindles | Dismissed without Prejudice |
On February 7, 2017, a jury returned the following verdict(s) involving the defendant, Rasaq Aderoju Raheem:
| Number of Charges |
Description of Charge(s) | Disposition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attempt and conspiracy fraud | Guilty |
| 1 | Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US | Guilty |
| 3 | Mail Fraud – Frauds and swindles | Guilty |
| 1 | Laundering of monetary instruments | Guilty |
| 3 | Mail Fraud – Frauds and swindles | Dismissed without Prejudice |
On February 7, 2017, a jury returned the following verdict(s) involving the defendant, Femi Alexander Mewase:
| Number of Charges |
Description of Charge(s) | Disposition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attempt and conspiracy fraud | Guilty |
| 1 | Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud US | Guilty |
| 1 | Laundering of monetary instruments | Not Guilty |
================
post-post-postscript
Department of Justice Press Release
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Three Nigerians Sentenced in International Cyber Financial Fraud Scheme
Three Nigerian nationals, who were extradited from South Africa to the Southern District of Mississippi in July 2015, were sentenced to prison this week for their roles in a large-scale international fraud network.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco, Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans made the announcement.
Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30, was sentenced to 95 years in prison. Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31, was sentenced to 115 years in prison. Femi Alexander Mewase, 45, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. After a three-week trial in early 2017, a federal jury found each defendant guilty of offenses involving mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, credit card fraud and theft of government property. Ayelotan and Raheem were also found guilty of conspiracies to commit bank fraud and money laundering.
A total of 21 defendants were charged in this case, 12 of whom have pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy, and 11 of whom have been sentenced to date. One of the leaders of the conspiracy, Teslim Olarewaju Kiriji, 30, of Nigeria was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison. Six other defendants were previously sentenced to 10 years in prison each for their roles in this conspiracy: Adekunle Adefila, 41, of Nigeria; Anuoluwapo Segun Adegbemigun, 40, of Nigeria; Gabriel Oludare Adeniran, 30, of Nigeria; Olufemi Obaro Omoraka, 27, of Nigeria; Taofeeq Olamilekan Oyelade, 32, of Nigeria; and Olusegun Seyi Shonekan, 34, of Nigeria. Genoveva Farfan, 45, of California, was sentenced to 9 years in prison, and Rhulane Fionah Hlungwane, 26, of South Africa, to five years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy. Olutoyin Ogunlade, 41, of New York, was sentenced to four years in prison. Dennis Brian Ladden, 75, of Wisconsin was sentenced to time served and six months’ home confinement. Susan Anne Villeneuve, 61, of California, pleaded guilty earlier this month and is awaiting sentencing.
According to the plea agreements and evidence at trial, the defendants and their co-conspirators carried out numerous internet-based fraud schemes dating back at least to 2001. These schemes involved using unsuspecting victims to cash counterfeit checks and money orders, using stolen credit card numbers to purchase electronics and other merchandise and using stolen personal identification information to take over victims’ bank accounts. As a whole, the conspiracy involved tens of millions of dollars in intended losses.
To accomplish their fraud schemes, the conspirators recruited the assistance of U.S. citizens via “romance scams,” in which the perpetrator would typically use a false identity on a dating website to establish a romantic relationship with an unsuspecting victim. According to trial evidence and plea documents, once the perpetrator gained the victim’s trust and affection, the perpetrator would convince the victim to either send money or to help carry out fraud schemes. For example, the defendants admitted that they used romance victims to launder money via Western Union and MoneyGram, to re-package and re-ship fraudulently obtained merchandise and to cash counterfeit checks.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Significant assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, HSI Attachés in Pretoria, South Africa and Dakar, Senegal, the U.S. Marshals Service’s International Investigations Branch and the Southern District of Mississippi District Office, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) Electronic Crimes Unit, the SAPS Interpol Extradition Unit, the South African National Prosecution Authority and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Senior Counsel Peter Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams of the Southern District of Mississippi tried the case.
If you believe that you may have been a victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, please go to http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scams and complete the questionnaire. Defendants allegedly used the following email addresses and names to perpetuate the scheme:
ADDIEP01@YAHOO.COM
ANITA.LAUREN01@GMAIL.COM
ANITA.LAUREN1@GMAIL.COM
EMPLOYMENTOFFERS007@YAHOO.COM
FAYEKIMBERLY@YMAIL.COM
FAYEKIMBERLY19@YAHOO.COM
FEMI_OMORAKA@YAHOO.COM
FMPLUST12@GMAIL.COM
FNCYJEN@YAHOO.COM
FOLLYEDWARDS@YAHOO.COM
GENTILEMARK186@GMAIL.COM
GERVINOJ@YAHOO.COM
GERVINOJ11@GMAIL.COM
GLENNSATTELBERG1961@GMAIL.COM
HORLAMI84@YAHOO.COM
JOHNVINO56@GMAIL.COM
JONES_DICKSON@YAHOO.COM
JUSTIN.WORSHAM@YAHOO.COM
KAREN_ROB01@YAHOO.COM
KEVINSMITH3949@YAHOO.COM
LMG.ORCHID1827@GMAIL.COM
LLOYDFARELL0012008@YAHOO.COM
MARCHAS1963@GMAIL.COM
MARK2GENTLE@YAHOO.COM
MATT.MILLER4070@GMAIL.COM
MAXWELLSAMUEL59@YAHOO.COM
MIMICOLE001@YAHOO.COM
MOBICOALZ@GMAIL.COM
OLADIMEJISEUN2008@YAHOO.COM
OLUWA_NISHOLA@YAHOO.COM
PETERLAWSON5050@YAHOO.COM
RASAQ_ADEROJU@YAHOO.COM
RDARWIN322@GMAIL.COM
RDARWIN324@GMAIL.COM
REDARMY_TX_HOST@YAHOO.COM
RHULANEF@YAHOO.COM
RWASSER@ROCKETMAIL.COM
SEGSEA121@YAHOO.COM
SMITHKEVIN902@GMAIL.COM
SPOWELL26AL@GMAIL.COM
SPOWELL26AL3@YAHOO.COM
STACYADAMS20009@YAHOO.COM
STARENTERPRISE74@YAHOO.COM
SUSANV1418@YAHOO.COM
TESCOSG@YAHOO.COM
Stacy Adams
Marlon Chase
Regina Darwin
Folly Edwards
Kimberly Faye
Lorene M. Garrett
Mark Gentile
John Gervino
Dickson Jones
Anita Lauren
Samuel Maxwell
Mark Miller
Adeline Piper
Sarah Powell
Karen Robinson
Glenn Sattelberg
Kevin Smith
Mark Smith
Richard Wasser
Justin Worsham
Any information that you provide through the questionnaire may be helpful in the criminal investigation and prosecution of this case. A federal investigator may contact you with additional questions or to request documents you may have. Please note that submitting the questionnaire is not a substitute for consulting with your own attorney to determine what actions and remedies may be available to you through civil litigation. If you have any questions related to this matter that are not addressed at the above websites, you may contact federal law enforcement authorities at USAMSS.Scams@usdoj.gov.
Topic(s):
Cyber Crime
Financial Fraud
Component(s):
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