NewStats: 3,261,958 , 8,175,664 topics. Date: Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 09:17 AM s5133

FORTUNE -- A luxury suite at the W Hotel in Dallas is as good a place as any to conquer the world. At least it seemed that way in 2007 when Tobechi Onwuhara got the crew together. They'd meet there often, seven or eight of them. Some had nicknames from the Ian Fleming lexicon: C, Q, and E. Others were called Mookie, Orji, Uche. They would spread out on designer sofas and at the wet bar, open three-ring binders, and fire up laptops with hard-to-trace wireless cards. On a nearby table there'd be prepaid cellphones with area codes taped to them. A phone for Southern California. A phone for Northern Virginia. A phone for any place Onwuhara had found the "good money." . . .


http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/24/real_estate/onwuhara_home_equity_fraud.fortune/

I can just imagine him being labelled smart and industrious by his village chief

with the number of scam originating in the country FBI will have undercover agents in every nigerian village looking for idle mansions

This man is very smart. He is a criminal mastermind I must say. The guy pulled in about $100 million. That is a lot of money for an ordinary scammer.

Damn. That is one impressive crook.

Profile in hand, he would run a credit check on victims through annualcreditreport.com, a website set up by the big three credit-reporting agencies. Onwuhara had discovered a flaw in the Experian portion of the site, which screened s with a personalized security question and several multiple-choice answers. s had to click on the correct answer to proceed. But when Onwuhara refreshed his browser, he found that the site replaced certain answers with new ones. Clearly, these were red herrings. Onwuhara knew the correct answer to the security question would appear persistently on screen as he refreshed.

He knew the questions he'd get. Usually he had the answers, along with numbers, balances, and s. Altering his gravelly voice like a professional actor, he could switch ethnicity, age, and accent on a whim. A customer service rep was easy prey.

Ezenwa ("E" Onyedebelu, a promising young student from Dallas whom Onwuhara had tapped as his protégé, laundered money. Henry Obilo, a hulking pre-med student who doubled as Onwuhara's bodyguard, specialized in Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) information.

It was around this time that Onwuhara grew suspicious that law enforcement might be on to him. FBI agents had placed both a pen and a trap-and-trace device on his phone, which let them record all outgoing and incoming numbers. Onwuhara somehow found out. When he called Cingular/AT&T (T, Fortune 500), his cellphone carrier, the company "accidentally" revealed the name and number of the FBI technician tracking him, according to an FBI affidavit in of a criminal complaint. But people who know Onwuhara don't think it was an accident.

"He has a way of getting people to tell him everything," Gipson says.

Nail consulted Etienne and the assistant U.S. attorney on the case. They decided to make the arrest. The agents on the ground followed the speeding cars to the Hard Rock Casino in Fort Lauderdale. The Acura and the BMW screeched to a halt at the curb in front of the casino. The drivers rushed inside, where local police detained them. The man from the BMW wasn't Onwuhara but rather his protégé, Ezenwa Onyedebelu. In the seconds before the FBI arrived with handcuffs to make the arrest, Matthews whipped out her cellphone and fired off a text: "Leave now. They got us."

Somewhere inside the Hard Rock, maybe at one of his beloved craps tables, one of the greatest cyberscammers in history looked up from his phone, calmly headed for a back door, and hailed a cab. Then he melted into the night. He hasn't been seen since.

This guy is an absolute LEGEND! Someone needs to make a movie based on him.

Well worth reading the entire article.

This guy is amazing.

Someone in Nollywood (or Hollywood?) needs to make a movie about him.

What?

Are you now the new Ezeuche?

Nigerians making wave in American. . . . They need to make another "Coming to America" movie

Part of this fraudsters are the same ones on their laptop talking about getting rich. "My father has a bigger house than your own", ring a bell?

fstranger1:

What?

Are you now the new Ezeuche?

Maybe you should take the time to read the article before you comment.

Even the oyibos are impressed with his abilities. Not to say that I am glorifying his actions, but this man is simply brilliant. A true pro. And he definitely deserves a movie. The fact that he hasn't been caught is simply amazing as well.

Kalu Akanu:

This man is very smart. He is a criminal mastermind I must say. The guy pulled in about $100 million. That is a lot of money for an ordinary scammer.

Are you going to recommend him for a chieftaincy title or what?

Ileke-IdI:

Nigerians making wave in American. . . . They need to make another "Coming to America" movie  

Part of this fraudsters are the same ones on their laptop talking about getting rich. "My father has a bigger house than your own", ring a bell?

Lol, yeah. For all we know, this Tobechi guy is hiding somewhere in Abia from the authorities. Will resurface with a new identity and run for governor  

With that said, I'm impressed. Read through the article. . . some of the things he pulled off are very hard to do. His mastery of different accents, speech patterns, his knowledge of the inner workings of banks, the techniques he used to launder money, how he hid how much business he was doing even from his associates, how he found out the FBI was after him through AT&T!

Dude is extremely talented (though I'm not trying to justify what he did.)

ekt_bear:

Lol, yeah. For all we know, this Tobechi guy is hiding somewhere in Abia from the authorities. Will resurface with a new identity and run for governor  

With that said, I'm impressed. Read through the article. . . some of the things he pulled off are very hard to do. His mastery of different accents, speech patterns, his knowledge of the inner workings of banks, the techniques he used to launder money, how he hid how much business he was doing even from his associates, how he found out the FBI was after him through AT&T!

Dude is extremely talented (though I'm not trying to justify what he did.)

Some moves dont just spring out, it's by habit. You ought to expect him to be good with it. Background check!!

This man probably inspired a lot of yahoo-yahoo boys. No one can compete with him in his sheer genius. The way he laundered his money. And how he was able to work under the radar, was truly something to behold.

That article reminds me of a movie script.

Kalu Akanu:

Maybe you should take the time to read the article before you comment.

Even the oyibos are impressed with his abilities. Not to say that I am glorifying his actions, but this man is simply brilliant. A true pro. And he definitely deserves a movie. The fact that he hasn't been caught is simply amazing as well.

And a chieftaincy title- Young Eze Ego- YEE to go with it

Kalu Akanu:

This man probably inspired a lot of yahoo-yahoo boys. No one can compete with him in his sheer genius. The way he laundered his money. And how he was able to work under the radar, was truly something to behold.

That article reminds me of a movie script.

AGain tribal chest beating

STFU

yahoo yahoo started before him

He has been profiled on AMW so many times and it is well documented that he learnt his trade from his father who in turn learnt it from Yoruba boys in Lagos

His own trade in stock/Modus operandi is different, I agree. But he learnt the basic from the masters, the Yoruba

Kalu Akanu:

That article reminds me of a movie script.

Catch Me If You Can, basically.

Dis Guy:

And a chieftaincy title- Young Eze Ego- YEE to go with it

I agree. But the title of Eze Ego is highly coveted title in Igboland. The title hasn't been held by anyone since. . . well the people of Alaigbo know who held that title.

fstranger1:

AGain tribal chest beating

STFU

yahoo yahoo started before him

He has been profiled on AMW so many times and it is well documented that he learnt his trade from his father who in turn learnt it from Yoruba boys in Lagos

His own trade in stock/Modus operandi is different, I agree. But he learnt the basic from the masters, the Yoruba

Why would anyone be proud of this? I am talking about the man, not his ethnicity. Did you hear me mention where he is from? His family hails from my home state, but you have yet to hear me say anything of that sort.

Yes yahoo yahoo started before him, but this man took it to another level.

$100 million. . . That is a substantial sum to make from just scamming.

Kalu Akanu:



Why would anyone be proud of this? I am talking about the man, not his ethnicity. Did you hear me mention where he is from? His family hails from my home state, but you have yet to hear me say anything of that sort.

Yes yahoo yahoo started before him, but this man took it to another level.

$100 million. . . That is a substantial sum to make from just scamming.

Dont get ahead of yourself

I doubt its that much

Americans sometimes exaggerate

He is going to be caught and he is gonna have to spend time in jail for a 100 million dolls crime, even though he might not have made that much from the scam.

I agree he was pretty impressive even from watching his profile from AMW.

fstranger1:

He is going to be caught and he is gonna have to spend time in jail for a 100 million dolls crime

if he has managed to escape to Nigeria, he will never be caught. He'll just invent a new identity. Dude is obviously not a mumu.

ekt_bear:

if he has managed to escape to Nigeria, he will never be caught. He'll just invent a new identity. Dude is obviously not a mumu.

Bingo. If he made it to Nigeria, then he will disappear from the radar. This guy could be anywhere. And with all the money he made, he is probably living comfortably.

ekt_bear:

if he has managed to escape to Nigeria, he will never be caught. He'll just invent a new identity. Dude is obviously not a mumu.

You have to be kidding

He has tasted the good life, there is no way he is going to be content with village life


Look, FBI came to Nigeria to pick Lanre Shittu, and if you know lanre Shittu then, you'd think that he was untouchable
Lanre Shittu knew people in government and despite that, prolly inspite of that, the Nigerian government turned a blind eye when FBI came knocking for his azz.

It is just a matter of time, he is going to be caught.

He is prolly not in Naija though. it would be stupid of him to go to Nigeria. He is probably in Ghana or Benin. Thats what they all do.

ekt_bear:

if he has managed to escape to Nigeria, he will never be caught. He'll just invent a new identity. Dude is obviously not a mumu.

you can never tell,

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has demanded[b] the extradition of a 26-year old Nigerian, Olaniyi Makinde, in connection with e-mail scams currently valued at D800,000.[/b]

A source at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the FBI is particularly interested in Mr. Makinde, who is currently standing trial in Ondo State, because of the peculiarity of the scam method which involved remotely breaking into the s system of an online payroll company in California, Intuit Inc.

he will probably have his dna in store or his dental records somewhere on file, all his pictures will run through image software with age progression with different moutache, hair colour, he might not be a mumu but he will definitely want to flaunt it!-he is a nigerian !!!

he's certain to use these words: do you know who i am>? i can pay you salary for the next ten years; get me the manager

When ed, the spokesperson of the EFCC, Femi Babafemi, declined to speak in details about the case but our source also said that the EFCC and the FBI have been working together on this case since last year adding that while the FBI would like to try Mr. Makinde in the US, the EFCC want him tried in Nigeria.

Amongs other charges in the 23-count charge brought against the 26-year old, the EFCC said that Mr. Makinde managed to manipulate the American online payroll system to deposit cash in his Intercontinental and Ecobank s in Nigeria.

“He installed malicious codes in several victims’ personal computers with which he fraudulently stole their bank information to steal $600, 000,” an official document obtained by NEXT said.

“Because of that boy, three FBI agents came to Nigeria in October. They wanted to see the person that could carry out this deal offshore,” our source at the EFCC said.

http://news2.onlinenigeria.com/headlines/69747-FBI-wants--year-old-Nigerian-scammer.html

Makinde probably doesn't have 10 or 20 mil in his .

That is enough money to:

1) Get plastic surgery
2) Hire guards armed to the teeth
3) Bribe someone in the naija gov't to give you forewarning if the US gov't sends agents after you.
4) Have any strange people who come looking for you in Abia State (or wherever he is hiding) mysteriously captured and killed by kidnappers.

With that said, it was too strong of me to say he will never be caught. Just he chances of him being captured are pretty small, imo. Uncle Sam's arm isn't that long, if you have money and can afford protection.

ekt_bear:

Makinde probably doesn't have 10 or 20 mil in his .

That is enough money to:

1) Get plastic surgery
2) Hire guards armed to the teeth
3) Bribe someone in the naija gov't to give you forewarning if the US gov't sends agents after you.
4) Have any strange people who come looking for you in Abia State (or wherever he is hiding) mysteriously captured and killed by kidnappers.

Are you serious or just acting as the devil's advocate?

fstranger1:

Are you serious or just acting as the devil's advocate?

How much can it cost? If you pay some high-up Nigerian policeman $100k/year to let you know what is going on, will he deny you? Or is the US somehow going to pull this off w/o the help of the Nigerian gov't at all? I don't see how the US can send agents after him without the information leaking out somehow.

1) Get plastic surgery-- so where will this dude do plastic surgery in Nigeria? lmao

2) Hire guards armed to the teeth--you will get doubly noticed, he wont be entering airport with those armed guards will he?
3) Bribe someone in the naija gov't to give you forewarning if the US gov't sends agents after you.--you really trust those incompetent people in govt? there's a bigger bribe waiting for them from almighty americana

4) Have any strange people who come looking for you in Abia State (or wherever he is hiding) mysteriously captured and killed by kidnappers.---not be today fbi don dey use local village looking person, this guy wont be holed up forever

not sure he's go to nigeria though, only if he has enough cash in hand to hire a jet from mexico

ekt_bear:

How much can it cost? If you pay some high-up Nigerian policeman $100k/year to let you know what is going on, will he deny you? Or is the US somehow going to pull this off w/o the help of the Nigerian gov't at all? I don't see how the US can send agents after him without the information leaking out somehow.

Lanre Shittu did more than that and they got him

Don't ever underestimate the FBI

We were all shocked when we heard that Lanre Shittu was caught, since then I dont doubt the FBI

If they want you, they'd get you

And the president then was OBJ, not this nincompoop.

Forget story, I am sure he is not in Nigeria.

If he were, i am sure FBI would have sought extradition

@fstranger1: Hmm, ok. Will be interesting to what happens.

This guys story will get an Hollywood movie.

If you've not read the whole thing, go to fortune and read it.  Tobechi? makes Frank Abagnale's catch me if you can story read like a toddler throwing a tantrum

HE has a vast network too

I have no doubt he would be caught

I am not that impressed

Anyone can be a criminal

It takes real smarts to invent and do something positive.

Nothing he does is impressive IMO.