ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr announced today that Ugochinyere Anazodo, 46, of Gwinnett County, Georgia, and Dominique Beaulieu, 45, of Windermere, Florida, have been convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in multiple cyber fraud schemes. These schemes targeted small businesses, government entities, and private citizens, resulting in significant financial losses through scams such as Business Email Compromise (BEC), romance and confidence fraud, inheritance scams, and identity theft.
The Georgia Department of Transportation was one of the victims after being fraudulently induced to pay legitimate vendor invoices to the defendants following a BEC scam. Additionally, a private citizen was deceived by someone she trusted into transferring money to Anazodo through four business bank accounts established using stolen identities of Georgia residents.
According to statistics from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Georgia victims lost over $300 million to cyber-enabled fraud in 2023. Several victims spoke at sentencing about the extensive toll these crimes took beyond financial loss.
“We’re working each day to put a stop to the cyber criminals who are targeting Georgians and stealing their hard-earned dollars,” said Carr. “This case is yet another example of our commitment to addressing the real and evolving threat of cyber fraud so we can help protect Georgia businesses and consumers alike.”
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Attorney General Laura D. Pfister and Assistant Attorney General Charles Van Keuren. It was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Office of the Inspector General.
“Cyber fraud has become an increasing problem,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “With the advancement of technology, criminals are finding more ways to steal hardworking Georgians’ assets.”
“The Georgia Office of the State Inspector General is committed to investigating acts of fraud against the State of Georgia,” said State Inspector General Nigel Lange. “This result holds perpetrators accountable and stands as an example of consequences for those who seek to defraud our state.”
In part, this case was referred by the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force following a victim report submitted to IC3.
“In today's digital world, online scams are countless,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This conviction demonstrates our commitment to investigate complex cyber investigations.”
On Aug. 29, 2024, Ugochinyere Anazodo was found guilty on charges including two counts of racketeering and one count each for theft by taking and money laundering. He was sentenced on Sep. 9, 2024, to 20 years with 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $1,174,928.79 in restitution.
Dominique Beaulieu pleaded guilty before trial on two counts of racketeering and received a five-year sentence with two years in prison along with restitution orders.
Victims are encouraged to file reports with appropriate financial providers or local law enforcement agencies if they fall victim to cyber fraud schemes like BEC or romance scams.
For more information about online scams or protection measures visit www.ic3.gov or the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division website.
The Attorney General’s White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit is part of his Prosecution Division which includes units focused on human trafficking prosecution among other crimes.
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