I don’t even have anything to say about this. I’m just pissed. I was driving to grandma’s house some hours ago when my friend’s baby brother texted me this link. I didn’t read it well till I parked the car and I was just angry. There are so many Nigerians involved, including jail nurse that makes almost $80,000 per year. Oga, what is your own problem? This happened in Hudson County, New Jersey. I made bold the names that I know are Nigerian; I don’t know if I missed any. Here’s the story as nj.com is reporting it:
Some of the people involved in the multi million fraud in New Jersey
Some 32 people, including a Hudson County jail nurse, have been arrested in a multimillion, multi-state identity theft and credit card fraud ring.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office first got involved in the investigation in the early fall of 2012, when they received numerous complaints from victims as far away as California claiming that credit cards in their name made fraudulent retail purchases in Hudson County, officials said today.
Using store video and physical surveillance, the detectives were able to identify several suspects, authorities state. Detectives then linked those suspects to hundreds of other accounts and millions of dollars in phony transactions.
The leaders of the group, authorities say, purchased the identities of unsuspecting victims from online brokers, who got the information from computer hackers across the United States.
In a process known as “punching,” electronic account information from the cards’ magnetic strips would be transferred onto counterfeit cards, which were provided to “strikers” who conducted the purchases at retailers all over the Eastern Seaboard, authorities say.
Teams of strikers purchased retail gift cards that were then used to purchase various electronic items, authorities say. Those items were then sold in bulk to fences in New York and New Jersey, authorities say. The fence would then sell the items to other people for cash payments.
The investigation has identified nearly 1,000 victims across the country and millions of dollars in phony transactions, authorities say.
Authorities say the suspects spent the proceeds on luxury cars, high-end jewelry and other lavish expenses. Some of the money was additionally sent to accounts in Nigeria, authorities say.
Acting Hudson County Prosecutor Guy Gregory commended a long list of agencies that were involved in the take down, saying, “The operation could not have succeeded without their assistance.”
Defendants charged with money laundering, theft by deception, wrongful impersonation and conspiracy include: Bolaji Ola, 30, of Sayreville; Olamide Otti, 27, of Queens; Akintunde Adeyemi, 28, of East Orange; David Brown, 27, of Parlin; Adegbola Adedeji, 31, of Parlin; Oluwaseun Jato, 23, of Hillside; Oluwasola Diji, 31, of Westbury, NY; Oladapo Araromi, 26, of Elizabeth; and Bertrand Ahaneku, 25, of South Orange.
Those charged with theft by deception, wrongful impersonation, and conspiracy include: Oluwaseun Adekoya, 25, of Sewaren; Henry Abdul, 25, of Union; Babatunde Oyefeso, 27, Union; Michael Assih, 24, of East Orange; John Orubo, 32, of Brooklyn; Idris Soyemi, 25, of Brooklyn; Imrahim Akaba, 23, of Piscataway; Vladimir Francois, 27, of Newark; Yves Desir, 29, of Irvington; Aglaide Alzuphar, 23, of Newark; Kossi Klutse, 25, of Newark; Evon Morris, 23, of East Orange; Fontessa Foreman, 27, of Newark; Olutoye Babatunde, 22, of Plainfield; Olukayode Adeosun, 30, of Newark; Gologo Benshaw, 25, of Newark; Olushola Ayeni, 31, of Brooklyn; Orwells Oyakhire, 24, of Maplewood.
Oladayo Araromi, 26, of Linden and Olujimi Williams, 24 of Hillside were charged with conspiracy. Matthew Sabo, 29, of Sayreville and Vijay Shah, 24, of Springfield, are charged with fencing, conspiracy, and receiving stolen property.
Oladayo Araromi, a nurse at Hudson County jail making $79,298, has been suspended without pay, Hudson County spokesman Jim Kennelly said today.
Of the 32 arrested, 24 appeared in Central Judicial Processing court this afternoon. Bail was set for those who appeared by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Isabella prior to their court appearance.
More arrests are expected, said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Gene Rubino.
Source: NJ.COM
When people ask me where i’m from these days, i just say zion. I am tired of all these bad eggs
Lol…Zion? Lol. Smh
It is not a laughing matter o….I asked someone the other day how many siblings he had {a regular getting to know you question when dating} and the guy asked me if I was the FBI or want to steal his identity…
This is just too much ooo and I buy into the being from Zion answer biko…shieeee
Honestly, shame on these guys and good for the authorities for catching them.
Either way, I am still proud to be Nigerian.
Geeez!! I’ve seen a couple of them at parties in NY and they pop bottles too.. Some act like they own everything in a Gucci store ( belt, shoes, hats, watch). Smh, some have kids too.. This is just sad. All those flashy mercedes benz and BMW’s they were driving acting like their shit don’t stink… What a waste!!!!
well now you know that their S*** not only stinks… its stolen too
Shout out to all the hardworking people that have always wondered why they are not able to afford dem expensive watches, bags, shoes, houses as these bastards…. Now you know why, they are THIEVES.
Robing innocent lives of their lifetime savings.
i am ANGRy
#okbye
this is a shame…. thats why when people hear Nigeria, they think of fraud, 419, wayo, gbajue, cheating, scam, terrorist. badddd. I dont feel bad for any of them at all, especially the Nurse. Greedy fool, just put his career in jeopardy… thats why it doesn’t phase me when they rocking all this brand name stuff, driving cars etc. No be their sweat at all. Im praying God deliver them smh
For all those of us who know or have family and friends who work in a retail store anywhere in the US. Please tell them to question every gift card sale.
If the buyer ever asks how much the limit u can put on the gift card is and goes ahead to tell u he/she would like to purchase 4gift cards all up to the limit they can contain. Do not sell it, stall however possible and Try to notify the loss prevention officer in ur store U might just be doing ur own bit at cleaning up this mess.
The thing that pains me most about this situation is that these guys have ruined opportunities for hardworking, innocent Nigerians.
This is why parents need to teach their childrrn contentment. I mean, one of them earns almost $80k a year.
Some of them are pastors kids and it just goes to show that our religious observations are just that ‘religion’. Then instead of people to be happy that these bloody thieves have been caught and will hopefully be jailed, some loser is going on the nj.com website calling folks to join a stupid facebook page to pray for these criminals so that they can be freed, Nigerians have to learn stop being hypocritical about this prayer thing. This only encourages them, and is a main reason why their behaviour is encouraged in the first place is that instead of discipline when they do shit like this we coddle them and ‘pray’ for them.
Let this be a warning to all of us, if your man is spending money and you know its more than he earns then look very well o. And be content with what you have. #gbam
Abeg permit me to gloat a lil and Vera no vex
All the names are yoruba’s.
If the suspects where Igbo’s now, I won’t hear for your readers.
Although I still condemn all criminals irrespective of their tribe
You mean “ethnic group”. Tribe is a pejorative. You should stop using it.
Iguosade Osahon why u go snitch on this guys
I heard it was one of their friend name “iguosade Osahon” that is suppose to be doing three to nine years in 2010 gave them up for early release
I know some of this bastards, Thank god this idiots are caught. buncha bastards
At least those guys are all origins of South western Nigeria who are the most educated in the country. Well done guys… Spoil your heritage.