Threat Management

Nigerian police search for ringleader in major bank heist

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a Nigerian law enforcement agency, has announced that a scammer, suspected of diverting 6.28 billion Naira (nearly $49 million US) to mule accounts, is being sought by police.

A photograph of Godswill Oyegwa Uyoyou was posted on EFCC's website, where the 38-year-old is alleged to have conspired with others to hack into an unnamed bank's database and transfer the money.

On Saturday, Nigeria media outlet TheNews, reported that the alleged crook worked in the information and communication technology (ICT) department at the targeted financial institution. Oyoyou and other cyber attackers reportedly “carried out the massive heist over a short period of time,” after hacking into the bank's computer systems, the outlet said.

An EFCC spokesman told the outlet that the scammers were not able to withdraw the entirety of the transferred funds before being caught.

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