Published On: September 9th, 2020Last Updated: April 5th, 20220 Comments on SCARS™ Crime Story: The Downfall Of Habeeb Audu1807 words9.1 min readTotal Views: 1204Daily Views: 1
SCARS™ Crime Story: The Downfall Of Habeeb Audu 1SCARS™ Commentary: The Odds Of Being Scammed Again
Yuliana Avalos: Another Stolen Face / Stolen Identity - Impersonation Victim - 2020 - on SCARS RomanceScamsNOW.comYuliana Avalos: Another Stolen Face / Stolen Identity - Impersonation Victim - 2020
SCARS Institute's Encyclopedia of Scams™ RomanceScamsNOW.com Published Continuously for 25 Years

SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years

In 2025 the SCARS Institute will enter its 11th year of Supporting Scam Victims Worldwide. Please let us know how we can better help you? Thank you for supporting our organization. SCARS Institute © 2024 www.AgainstScams.org

SCARS™ Crime Story: The Downfall Of Habeeb Audu

U.S. Attorney Announces Extradition Of British Citizen For Operating An International Money Laundering And Fraud Network

Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that HABEEB AUDU, a/k/a “Dickson,” a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, was extradited today from the United Kingdom.

Audu Was Charged With Participation In A Series Of Fraud Schemes From At Least In Or About 2013 Until At Least April 2019, Involving The Theft And Laundering Of More Than US$2 Million.

AUDU was arrested in London, England, on June 26, 2019, on a provisional arrest warrant, and is the fourth defendant charged in this case.  AUDU is expected to be presented on Monday, August 31, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.  AUDU’s case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “As alleged, Habeeb Audu played a key role in an international fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals by using stolen identities and social engineering to access victims’ bank accounts, and by engaging in business email compromise schemes.  Thanks to the FBI and our international partners, including the Italian National Police, Audu is now in U.S. custody and facing charges in this District.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “Today’s indictment outlines the alleged fraudulent conduct of Habeeb Audu and other conspirators who, over the course of nearly six years, robbed the bank accounts of both individuals and businesses here in the United States, sometimes from locations nearly halfway across the world. Using traditional spoofing techniques and business email compromise schemes, these crimes collectively brought in more than $2 million in proceeds. While today’s charges bring about a victory in this case, let it be a warning to the public to remain extra vigilant with respect to their personal and professional finances. The market is unfortunately rife with this type of crime.”

According To The Allegations In The Unsealed Indictment:*

From at least 2013 through in or about 2018, AUDU and various other conspirators (collectively, the “Conspirators”), located in countries including the United States, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates, were involved in a scheme to fraudulently access individuals’ and corporations’ bank accounts and to conduct financial transactions using those bank accounts without the knowledge or authority of the accounts’ legitimate owners (the “Bank Scheme”).

As part of the Bank Scheme, the Conspirators placed thousands of calls to various United States banks, holding themselves out as legitimate accountholders of particular targeted bank accounts and using the stolen personal identifying information belonging to those accountholders.

Using a particular telephone number “spoofing” service, and voice-altering technology, the Conspirators would deceive bank representatives into believing that the Conspirators were actual accountholders.  In so doing, they convinced multiple U.S. banks to, among other things:  move money from a victim’s savings account to the victim’s checking account (so that the Conspirators could more easily access the funds and conduct unauthorized transactions); falsely note on the account that the accountholder was traveling abroad (making the bank less likely to void suspicious international transactions made by the Conspirators); have “replacement” credit cards mailed to international addresses controlled by the Conspirators (whereupon the Conspirators could use them to make unauthorized purchases); and authorize foreign purchases made by the Conspirators.

AUDU, from at least December 2018 through April 2019, was also involved in separate schemes to defraud United States-based businesses and banks by means of business email compromise schemes (the “BEC Fraud Schemes”).  For example, AUDU defrauded an Ohio-based restaurant chain (the “Restaurant Victim”) into wiring nearly $2 million to a bank account controlled by AUDU’s co-conspirators (the “AUDU Account”).  He did so by tricking the Restaurant Victim into believing that one of its legitimate vendors had changed bank accounts to the AUDU Account, such that payments for the vendor’s services were made to the AUDU Account.  These funds were thereafter quickly withdrawn from the AUDU Account and dispersed to other accounts controlled by AUDU and his co-conspirators.

Thereafter, in connection with an FBI undercover operation, AUDU and others each agreed, for a substantial fee, to launder moneys that they believed to be fraud proceeds, through bank accounts controlled by AUDU and his co-conspirators.  In doing so, AUDU and his co-conspirators agreed to conceal the nature of those purportedly fraudulent proceeds.

About Habeeb Audu, also known as: “Dickson”

AUDU, 5­­­3, of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, is charged with:

  • one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison
  • four counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering, each of which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison
  • one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
  • and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Other Defendants

Other defendants charged in this case include:

  • Abdulai Kennedy Saaka, a/k/a “Kenny,” of Atlanta, Georgia, who pled guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy in January 2020
  • Alade Kazeem Sodiq, a/k/a “Eluku,” a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, whose case remains pending
  • Dominic Francis Labiran, a citizen of the United Kingdom, who remains at large.

Great Job

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.  She also thanked United States Customs and Border Protection, Italian judicial law enforcement authorities, including the Prosecutor of the Republic of Naples and the Servizio Centrale Operativo of the Italian National Police, the Metropolitan Police Service, London, United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom’s Crown Prosecution Service for their assistance in this case.  The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from the United Kingdom.

Afterword

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher, Jonathan E. Rebold, and Andrew A. Rohrbach are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

*  As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Actual Indictment Document

indictment document 2017 audu

 

TAGS: SCARS, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Scam Victims, HABEEB AUDU, United States Attorney, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Bank Fraud, Wire Fraud, Scammers Arrested, Scammers Indicted

SCARS the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Incorporated

SCARS™ Team
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A Worldwide Crime Victims Assistance Nonprofit Organization
Visit: www.AgainstScams.org
Contact Us: Contact@AgainstScams.org

PLEASE SHARE OUR ARTICLES WITH YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY

HELP OTHERS STAY SAFE ONLINE – YOUR KNOWLEDGE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

REPORT-BLOCK-RECOVER

REPORT-BLOCK-RECOVER

 

 

 

 

The Latest SCARS Posts:


END


MORE INFORMATION


– – –

Tell us about your experiences with Romance Scammers in our
« Scams Discussion Forum on Facebook »


– – –

FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?

It is essential that law enforcement knows about scams & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.

Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:

  1. Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
  2. U.S. State Police (if you live in the U.S.) – they will take the matter more seriously and provide you with more help than local police
  3. Your National Police or FBI « www.IC3.gov »
  4. The SCARS|CDN™ Cybercriminal Data Network – Worldwide Reporting Network on « www.Anyscam.com »

This helps your government understand the problem, and allows law enforcement to add scammers on watch lists worldwide.


– – –

To learn more about SCARS visit « www.AgainstScams.org »

Please be sure to report all scammers
on « www.Anyscam.com »

 

Disclaimer:

SCARS IS A DIGITAL PUBLISHER AND DOES NOT OFFER HEALTH OR MEDICAL ADVICE, LEGAL ADVICE, FINANCIAL ADVICE, OR SERVICES THAT SCARS IS NOT LICENSED OR REGISTERED TO PERFORM.

IF YOU’RE FACING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES IMMEDIATELY, OR VISIT THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM OR URGENT CARE CENTER. YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE FOLLOWING ANY MEDICALLY RELATED INFORMATION PRESENTED ON OUR PAGES.

ALWAYS CONSULT A LICENSED ATTORNEY FOR ANY ADVICE REGARDING LEGAL MATTERS.

A LICENSED FINANCIAL OR TAX PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE CONSULTED BEFORE ACTING ON ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES OR TAX RELATED ISSUES AND INFORMATION.

This content and other material contained on the website, apps, newsletter, and products (“Content”), is general in nature and for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice; the Content is not intended to be a substitute for licensed or regulated professional advice. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider, lawyer, financial, or tax professional with any questions you may have regarding the educational information contained herein. SCARS makes no guarantees about the efficacy of information described on or in SCARS’ Content. The information contained is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible situations or effects. SCARS does not recommend or endorse any specific professional or care provider, product, service, or other information that may be mentioned in SCARS’ websites, apps, and Content unless explicitly identified as such.

The disclaimers herein are provided on this page for ease of reference. These disclaimers supplement and are a part of SCARS’ website’s Terms of Use

Legal Notices: 

All original content is Copyright © 1991 – 2020 Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. (D.B.A SCARS) All Rights Reserved Worldwide & Webwide. Third-party copyrights acknowledge.

SCARS, SCARS|INTERNATIONAL, SCARS, SCARS|SUPPORT, SCARS, RSN, Romance Scams Now, SCARS|INTERNATION, SCARS|WORLDWIDE, SCARS|GLOBAL, SCARS, Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams, Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams, SCARS|ANYSCAM, Project Anyscam, Anyscam, SCARS|GOFCH, GOFCH, SCARS|CHINA, SCARS|CDN, SCARS|UK, SCARS|LATINOAMERICA, SCARS|MEMBER, SCARS|VOLUNTEER, SCARS Cybercriminal Data Network, Cobalt Alert, Scam Victims Support Group, are all trademarks of Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Contact the law firm for the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Incorporated by email at legal@AgainstScams.org

-/ 30 /-

What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment below!

Article Rating

0
(0)

Table of Contents

ARTICLE CATEGORIES

POPULAR ARTICLES

Rapid Report Scammers

SCARS-CDN-REPORT-SCAMEMRS-HERE

Visit SCARS www.Anyscam.com

Quick Reporting

  • Valid Emails Only

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
    Valid Phone Numbers Only

Subscribe & New Item Updates

In the U.S. & Canada

U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988

U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988

ARTICLE META

RATE THIS ARTICLE?

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

As you found this post useful...

Follow us on social media!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

LEAVE A COMMENT?

Your comments help the SCARS Institute better understand all scam victim/survivor experiences and improve our services and processes. Thank you


Thank you for your comment. You may receive an email to follow up. We never share your data with marketers.

Recent Comments
On Other Articles

Important Information for New Scam Victims

If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org

If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A Note About Labeling!

We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!

A Question of Trust

At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.

Statement About Victim Blaming

Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.