Phisher sentenced for defrauding Defense Department

BleepingComputer reports that the California resident Sercan Oyuntur has been convicted for his involvement in a phishing scam targeted at the U.S. Department of Defense that resulted in nearly $23.5 million in damages. The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed that Oyuntur was found guilty of conspiracy to commit unauthorized device access, wire, mail, and bank fraud, and aggravated theft, as well as making false statements before federal officials after engaging in phishing fraud in September 2018.A criminal complaint against Oyuntur showed that a phishing scheme he orchestrated with conspirators involved access into a stolen account belonging to a Southeast Asian corporation with fuel provision contracts with the U.S. military, one of which was a $23,453,350 contract for nearly 11 million gallons of jet fuel to the Defense Department. Such funds were then redirected by Oyuntur to his personal bank account.Up to three decades imprisonment awaits Oyuntur, as well as fines of up to $1 million or double the gross profits of loss related to his crimes.