Man admits role in email scheme

NEW HAVEN — An Ohio man waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Friday to a fraud offense stemming from his role in a business email compromise scheme, which caused a company in Torrington to lose more than $500,000, according to a release.

Olumuyiwa Yahtrip Adejumo, 32, of Toledo, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced July 26, a release from the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

Adejumo, his co-conspirator Adeyemi Odufuye and others targeted CEOs, chief financial officers, controllers and others at U.S. businesses using sophisticated cyber techniques to defraud the businesses.

Adejumo and his coconspirators sent emails addressed to executives that appeared to be sent from the legitimate email address of the CEO or other executive from the business, with the intent of having the recipients send or wire money to bank accounts used by members of the conspiracy, the release said.

The investigation revealed that scheme participants controlled multiple email and social media accounts used in the scheme and, in certain instances, sent emails and attachments containing

malware to the intended recipients. As a result of this scheme, victimized businesses have suffered more than $2 million in total losses, the release said.

In pleading guilty, Adejumo admitted his participation in the scheme caused total losses of more than $100,000 to at least three victims in Ohio, Illinois and the District of

Columbia, the release stated.

Odufuye is a citizen of Nigeria. He was arrested in the United Kingdom on Dec. 19, 2016, where he was a student at Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England.

Odufuye was extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. and, on Jan. 3, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He is detained while awaiting sentencing, the release said.