Web Desk
A Nigerian national, Lotenna Chisom Umeadi, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, according to U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Erin Keegan.
Authorities revealed that Umeadi purchased a compromised webpage from a hacker, allowing him to steal email passwords.
He then accessed the email accounts of employees at a Sri Lankan produce export company and sent fraudulent emails.
These emails, designed to appear legitimate, instructed a produce importer in Plattsburgh, New York, to transfer $158,400 to bank accounts in the United Kingdom controlled by Umeadi.
Umeadi was arrested in Germany on September 1, 2024, and later extradited to the United States.
He now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 21, 2025. After serving his sentence, Umeadi will be deported.
HSI is leading the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer handling prosecution, assisted by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
