US sentences Nigerian national to 7 years in $6 million email fraud scheme

James Junior Aliyu, a Nigerian national, was sentenced to 90 months in U.S. prison for his role in an international fraud ring that compromised business email accounts and used spoofed messages to redirect legitimate wire transfers to accounts controlled by the conspirators. The scheme, active since at least 2017, is estimated to have stolen about $6 million; Aliyu was arrested in Johannesburg, extradited, ordered to forfeit $1.2 million and pay $2.4 million in restitution, and other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty or face additional sentences.