Aderoju Bammeke, 22, and his girlfriend Jessica Ogunyemi, 20, both of Manchester, were the UK 'platform' for a Nigerian 'phishing' scam that made £41,000 in just two months.
The plot, masterminded by a gang in the West African country, involved sending fake emails to customers of banks including Barclays and Halifax.
The emails told recipients that their accounts had been hacked and asked them to complete a form with their log-in details. But when victims obliged, Bammeke stepped in and helped the gang log in to steal money. Fashion marketing student Ogunyemi, his girlfriend at the time, helped him launder the proceeds by putting funds in accounts, hiding cash and allowing him to buy her a £2,400 Vauxhall Corsa.
Bammeke has now been jailed for three-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court after admitting conspiracy to commit fraud and unauthorised computer use. Ogunyemi admitted five counts of money laundering and was given a suspended prison sentence.
Investigators found evidence of the scam on seven devices at Bammeke's home, which had accessed 181 accounts from his address. But Barclays found 2,439 customers had been affected and investigators say the true scale of the fraud will never be known.
Bammeke admitted he had been involved in the scam for more than a year. He played a 'key role' as England's 'platform' for the scam, the court heard. He said if the gang had tried to log into accounts from Nigeria it would have triggered the banks' alarm systems.
Simon Nichol, defending Bammeke, said he felt regret and remorse for his actions. He said his involvement - which began in an effort to tackle student debt - was 'sporadic' and although the scam was large scale with international dimensions, Bammeke's part was not. He added: 'They needed a platform in this jurisdiction and they needed someone to provide that platform. He allowed them to use his computer remotely. He expresses further regret that he got his girlfriend involved in this.'
Michael Lavery, defending Ogunyemi, said she had brought shame on her family, including her train driver father and mother who works for Manchester council. He said she had been 'naive', was predicted to get a first in her degree and was no longer in a relationship with Bammeke.
Bammeke had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to commit fraud and unauthorised computer use while Ogunyemi admitted five counts of money laundering. Sentencing Bammeke, Judge Recorder Gibson said: 'This in my opinion was a sophisticated fraud, a clever fraud and a fraud which could very easily have resulted in very much more substantial money being stolen.' He jailed Ogunyemi for a year, suspended for two years, and ordered her to complete 180 hours' unpaid work.
After the hearing, Detective Superintendent Janet Hudson of TITAN, the North-West Regional Crime Unit, said: 'The actions of Bammeke and Ogunyemi caused a great deal of stress and uncertainty to many affected bank customers who had their accounts accessed. 'As a result of the investigation, no customers were left out of pocket and the offenders were arrested and ultimately sentenced. Internet banking is considered a safe and secure method of banking.
'However, bank customers need to remain vigilant and aware of the danger posed by fraudsters. Customers should only ever navigate directly to an online bank website and should never click on any link sent to them through an email. 'Additionally when accessing bank accounts online customers should always be aware of the exact address in order to ensure that they are actually on a legitimate banking website.'
Source: Daily Mail
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Posted: at 7-12-2013 06:32 PM (10 years ago) | Addicted Hero
steveoneal at 7-12-2013 08:11 PM (10 years ago) (m)
criminals,,, he pain me say no be for yankee they catch una,, una for hear wen... na 20 plus una for get,,, monkey dey work baboon dey chop,, you re both disgrace to your families,, not nigeria,,
Posted: at 7-12-2013 08:11 PM (10 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Yoruba's are the worst idiot i have ever see in my life, had it been that this guy is from the great igbo you will see them here with their smelling ewedu mouth, they will start open mouth like dead goat every one knows that when it comes to this kind of crime this Idiot set of people called Yoruba are number 1, yet they label it to the great Igbos, am very sorry for all of you because ever one of you will go to hell fire no doubt about it. LESS I FORGET I WILL NOT RESPONSE TO ANY LOW CLASS IDIOT THE WILL QUOTE ME HERE UNTIL I HERE FROM THIS THREE IDIOTS OBASANJO, TUNUBU AND FASHOLA. IF UNA LIKE MAKE UNA GIVE ALHAJI NGIGE BRIBE WHO CARES
Posted: at 7-12-2013 08:27 PM (10 years ago) | Upcoming
Yoruba's are the worst idiot i have ever see in my life, had it been that this guy is from the great igbo you will see them here with their smelling ewedu mouth, they will start open mouth like dead goat every one knows that when it comes to this kind of crime this Idiot set of people called Yoruba are number 1, yet they label it to the great Igbos, am very sorry for all of you because ever one of you will go to hell fire no doubt about it. LESS I FORGET I WILL NOT RESPONSE TO ANY LOW CLASS IDIOT THE WILL QUOTE ME HERE UNTIL I HERE FROM THIS THREE IDIOTS OBASANJO, TUNUBU AND FASHOLA. IF UNA LIKE MAKE UNA GIVE ALHAJI NGIGE BRIBE WHO CARES
Although am nt Obasanjo, neither am i Tinubu, buh am just surprised how u came online to let us knw dat u are a product of baby factory, and am sure it wil take u ur whole life span to knw ur biological parent. If u wanna prove me wrong, go 4 DNA test. No offence bro.
Posted: at 7-12-2013 09:41 PM (10 years ago) | Upcoming
kingsbeen at 7-12-2013 09:50 PM (10 years ago) (m)
Yoruba's are the worst idiot i have ever see in my life, had it been that this guy is from the great igbo you will see them here with their smelling ewedu mouth, they will start open mouth like dead goat Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy every one knows that when it comes to this kind of crime this Idiot set of people called Yoruba are number 1, yet they label it to the great Igbos, am very sorry for all of you because ever one of you will go to hell fire no doubt about it. LESS I FORGET I WILL NOT RESPONSE TO ANY LOW CLASS IDIOT THE WILL QUOTE ME HERE UNTIL I HERE FROM THIS THREE IDIOTS OBASANJO, TUNUBU AND FASHOLA. IF UNA LIKE MAKE UNA GIVE ALHAJI NGIGE BRIBE WHO CARES Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin Grin
hahahahhahaha bitter truth ,,,, fraud is there national anthem with big mouth Yoruba na cancer?
Posted: at 7-12-2013 09:50 PM (10 years ago) | Upcoming
Yoruba's are the worst idiot i have ever see in my life, had it been that this guy is from the great igbo you will see them here with their smelling ewedu mouth, they will start open mouth like dead goat every one knows that when it comes to this kind of crime this Idiot set of people called Yoruba are number 1, yet they label it to the great Igbos, am very sorry for all of you because ever one of you will go to hell fire no doubt about it. LESS I FORGET I WILL NOT RESPONSE TO ANY LOW CLASS IDIOT THE WILL QUOTE ME HERE UNTIL I HERE FROM THIS THREE IDIOTS OBASANJO, TUNUBU AND FASHOLA. IF UNA LIKE MAKE UNA GIVE ALHAJI NGIGE BRIBE WHO CARES
People like you who "Hate a tribe or someone so much,..actually turn's out that you are Extremely Jealous of the tribe or person"....Go and study your history very well. Educated Igbo men don't associate or do business with the Igbo illiterates like you from the villages because your mind is so Myopic & Tribalistic. A man without education will always be limited in his level of reasoning. Back to my point now, you said it yourself that "Yoruba's" are always the main culprits when it comes to Fraud or Financial crimes. In as much, as I admit that fraud is wrong & the criminals involved should be punished, I also have to remind you that such crimes can only be committed because the so-called "Yoruba" boy is educated & knows how a bank system works. Your Igbo brothers are spread across prisons in Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa, Philippines etc, serving death or life sentences in those countries because of "Drug Crimes"...Tell your Igbo fathers & Mothers who force their children to make money by "All Means" to solve your education problems first before you transfer your "HATRED" to other tribes. And one more thing you need to know, Having a "Spare-Part Shop" doesn't make you a " Successful Business Man" my friend. Big businesses that run the economy of Nigeria & the African continent are owned by the same "Yoruba" people that you Hate so much....It's a Fact & Truth hurts!!!
Posted: at 7-12-2013 10:11 PM (10 years ago) | Newbie
Please I want to advice you not to post any comment related to tribalism here, make sure you read the comments very well before you post it. Some people are real animal in human skin, they just post anything they like and discriminate other tribe. We are one Nigeria, please stop this ignorance and tribalism idea here.
Posted: at 7-12-2013 11:14 PM (10 years ago) | Newbie
Una dey craze 4 head abi ? when oibo come AFRIKA force us as slave, steal our gold,culture,art work,and minaral resources. who complain ? who call dem theif ? wen black man dup oibo, felo black man go dey call him broda theif. una father, IDOITS.
Posted: at 8-12-2013 12:22 AM (10 years ago) | Upcoming
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