Nigerian couple jailed for N4.9bn UK fraud

                             

Two members of a Nigerian gang, that executed an almost £19m (N4.9bn) global Internet banking scam, in which they hacked the accounts of nearly 2,500 people.

, 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 (N10.6m) in just two months.

The gang reportedly sent fake emails to customers of banks in UK, 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.

Investigators said Ogunyemi, who is a fashion marketing student, helped Bammeke launder the proceeds by putting funds in accounts, hiding cash and allowing him to buy her a £2,400 (N620,745)Vauxhall Corsa.

The Manchester Crown Court jailed Bammeke for three-and-a-half years after admitting conspiracy to commit fraud and unauthorised computer use.

Ogunyemi admitted five counts of money laundering and was given a suspended prison sentence.

Also, 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.

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,’ she was predicted to get a first in her degree and was no longer in a relationship with Bammeke.