A federal grand jury in Columbia has returned a 12-count indictment against 12 individuals accused of engaging in a nationwide business email compromise scheme. The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering for allegedly defrauding victims out of millions of dollars.
The defendants named in the indictment include Demani Jawara Bosket from Saluda, Nkem Ajoku from Pflugerville, Texas, Walter Clayron Ruff Jr. from Gaston, Tanya Lawshawn Bosket from Saluda, Jahbir Rolando Fowle and Anthony Jerome Savage both from Charlotte, North Carolina. Others are Micheal Raymond Bevans-Silva from Savannah, Georgia; Carlise Raymion Roland, Daniel Alexander Edwards, Danny Heard II, Raymone Tyshay Scott Sr., and Jamian Joshaun Butler all from Jacksonville, Florida.
According to the indictment, the scheme involved using "spoofed" emails that closely resemble legitimate business or banking email addresses to deceive victims. The perpetrators reportedly accessed victims' computer systems to monitor communications related to financial transactions and bank transfers. By impersonating internal personnel or business partners through spoofed emails, they allegedly directed payments to accounts under their control before distributing the stolen funds among themselves and transferring some out of the country.
The victims included construction companies, private equity firms, title companies, and law firms across South Carolina, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania as well as Japan.
If convicted on these charges, each defendant faces up to 30 years in prison along with fines amounting to $1 million. The arraignment is scheduled for February 4th at 10 a.m. before Judge Paige J. Gossett.
This case was investigated by several agencies including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lothrop Morris and T. DeWayne Pearson are handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that all charges are accusations at this stage; defendants remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.