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Cybercrime

Highlights

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33,320 recovered in Nigeria-Japan cybercrime operation; 11 arrested for romance scams

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Nigerian hackers breach UnitedHealthcare database to steal 120 million Americans’ private data

A group of Nigerian hackers gained access to the UnitedHealthcare database and stole over six terabytes of private information and private health records belonging to 120 million Americans who were insured by the company according to a lawsuit filed by 60 affected Americans on Wednesday. In February 2024, the hackers gained access to UnitedHealthcare’s computer […]

Staff Writer
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Nigeria-based AI ‘Brad Pitt’ scams French lady of €830,000 in romance fraud 

In a shocking revelation on the TF1 program Sept à Huit, Anne, a 53-year-old French interior designer, shared how she was duped out of €830,000 by a man she assumed to be Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. The scam began innocuously but escalated into a financial and emotional catastrophe. Anne’s ordeal started in February 2023 during […]

Staff Writer
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INTERPOL names Nigeria’s Police cybercrime unit best in Africa for 2024

The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC) has been recognised as the Best Cybercrime Unit in Africa for 2024 by the INTERPOL Cybercrime Directorate, based in Singapore. The award highlights the NPF-NCCC’s exceptional efforts in combating cybercrime and improving public safety online, placing it ahead of 54 other African nations. In 2024, the NPF-NCCC […]

Staff Writer
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Websprix executives Dawit Berhanu, Mekdes Aklilu face money laundering charges in Ethiopia

Ethiopian prosecutors on December 27, 2024, announced serious financial crime charges against two prominent figures from Web Sprix IT Solutions PLC: Dawit Berhanu Ambaye, the General Manager, and Mekdes Aklilu Temesgen, the board chair. The duo were facing allegations of tax evasion, money laundering, and facilitating illegal imports. Read also: Safaricom Ethiopia launches 4G in […]

Modupeoluwa Olalere
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U.S. Judge reverses bail decision for alleged fraudster Bobo Chicago over concerns he will flee to Nigeria

U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III has overturned the previous ruling granting bail to Bolanle Bombata, also known as Bobo Chicago, after FBI prosecutors presented compelling evidence that he posed a significant flight risk. This decision follows the U.S. government’s swift appeal of the initial bail grant.   On 26 November, Magistrate Judge Beth […]

Staff Writer
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NBS earmarks N35 million for cybersecurity measures after website breach

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has allocated N35 million for “Capacity Building on Cybersecurity and Data Centre Management” in its 2025 budget, nearly two weeks after hackers breached the bureau’s website. The cyberattack on December 18 raised concerns about the bureau’s digital security and led to the allotment of tens of millions of naira […]

Staff Writer
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FBI most-wanted Nigerian cybercriminal Abiola Kayode extradited to U.S. from Ghana over multi-million dolllar email scam

Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian who had been on the FBI‘s Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List, has been extradited from Ghana to Nebraska, United States. This came after he was indicted in August 2019 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Nebraska, said in a statement on Thursday that […]

Staff Writer
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Law enforcement seeks arrest of 601 bank customers tied to N11bn Flutterwave breach

The Nigeria Police Force has announced plans to arrest 601 bank customers linked to a significant breach involving Flutterwave, a leading fintech company.  This announcement was made yesterday following an investigation into a technical glitch that allowed unauthorised transactions totalling N21.2 billion ( $21.2 million) between October 12 and 13, 2023. Read also: Kenya govt […]

Modupeoluwa Olalere
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PalmPay partners with NFIU to combat financial fraud, support Nigeria’s digital economy

Nigerian fintech business PalmPay will work with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other government agencies to combat financial fraud and use technology to fortify the nation’s digital financial ecosystem, a statement by the fintech company said on Friday. The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by Chika Nwosu, PalmPay’s the Managing Director, […]

Staff Writer
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FBI traces Bobo Chicago’s $2.8m scam to African Shrine; Wale Ogundana’s nightclub licence revoked

Agents of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation have exposed a web of fraud connecting suspected Nigerian scammer Oluyomi Omobolanle Bombata, alias Bobo Chicago, to African Shrine, a nightclub in Las Vegas. The discovery consequently led the Nevada state government to revoke the club’s licence and ban its owner Wale Ogundana from engaging in nightlife […]

Staff Writer
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Uganda seeks Interpol assistance to track hackers, masterminds of BoU multi-million dollar heist

Ugandan authorities have asked Interpol to investigate fraudulent transfers of $6 million to Japan and $7 million to England, following a cyber heist in which $13 million (Shs 47.8 billion) was stolen from the Bank of Uganda (BoU). Junior Finance Minister Henry Musasizi denied allegations that 62 billion shillings ($17 million) was taken, stating that […]

Staff Writer
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FBI arrests suspected Nigerian fraudster “Bobo Chicago” for $2.8 million business email scam

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Oluyomi Omobolanle Bombata, popularly known as “Bobo Chicago” and “Bola Flexx,” for allegedly orchestrating a business email compromise scheme that defrauded companies and individuals of $2.8 million in the U.S. The 25-year-old was taken into custody on November 20 in Chicago, Illinois, based on an arrest warrant […]

Staff Writer
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Serengeti strikes: 1,000+ nabbed in cybercrime crackdown

INTERPOL announced the results of Operation Serengeti on Tuesday. This significant anti-cybercrime initiative, conducted from September 2 to October 31, led to the arrest of 1,006 suspects across 19 African countries. The operation aimed to combat various forms of cybercrime, including ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), digital extortion, and online scams. Read also: Hackers stole […]

Modupeoluwa Olalere
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