Online fraudster who stole $9.5M given 25-year sentence

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Georgia man Elvis Eghosa Ogiekpolor has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of stealing more than $9.5 million from business email compromise attacks and romance scams, reports The Hacker News. Eight money mules were sought by Ogiekpolor to open fraudulent bank accounts under fictitious companies, wherein proceeds from malicious activities would be kept, according to the Justice Department, which added that Ogiekpolor engaged in creating fake online dating personas to facilitate the scams. "Once the fraud proceeds posted to his accounts, Ogiekpolor laundered the funds, including wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to overseas accounts, and withdrawing substantial amounts in cash and cashier's checks," said the Justice Department. Five of Ogiekpolor's co-conspirators have already been sentenced prior to Ogiekpolor. "There is no way we can make the victims of Ogiekpolor and this network whole again, but we hope this sentence will at least give them solace that people are being held accountable," said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley.