International Manhunt: FBI Seeks EFCC's Aid
International Manhunt: FBI Seeks EFCC's Aid
“The U.S. officials have reached out to us and they said the suspects are hiding in the country...”
The FBI collaborates with Nigeria's EFCC to apprehend two Nigerian fugitives accused of orchestrating a $13 million healthcare fraud scheme, targeting US-based providers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist in tracking down two Nigerian fugitives, Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, who are wanted in the US for their involvement in a massive healthcare fraud scheme that resulted in losses of $13 million between October 2020 and 2024.
The two suspects were indicted by a grand jury at the US District Court of Minnesota on September 25 for perpetrating a scheme that targeted healthcare providers. This collaboration between the FBI and EFCC highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating financial crimes.
The EFCC, established in 2003, has broad powers to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes, including fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement. However, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has clarified that the EFCC's powers are not unlimited and must be exercised within the scope of economic and financial crimes.
In this case, the EFCC's assistance will be crucial in apprehending the fugitives and bringing them to justice. The commission's expertise in tracking down and prosecuting financial criminals will be invaluable in unraveling the complex web of transactions involved in this scheme.
Nigerian nationals Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, currently at large, are being sought by the FBI for healthcare fraud. The EFCC has been enlisted to aid in their apprehension.
The FBI seeks EFCC's cooperation to track down and detain two Nigerian suspects, Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, indicted for a multi-million dollar healthcare scam.
“We have an obligation to honour the request of our US counterparts as part of our longstanding collaboration to combat cross-border crimes.”
Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu allegedly defrauded four Minnesota-based healthcare providers out of $13 million by diverting payments to a fraudulent account, instead of the intended recipients.
The indictment alleges Shodiya and Jamiu orchestrated a scheme to deceive Minnesota healthcare providers, redirecting $13 million in payments to a fake account.
Shodiya and Jamiu are accused of perpetrating a $13 million healthcare fraud scheme, tricking four Minnesota-based providers into sending payments to a manipulated account.
According to court documents, Shodiya and Jamiu allegedly targeted four healthcare providers in Minnesota, swindling them out of $13 million through an elaborate payment diversion scheme.
The suspects allegedly created a counterfeit domain to redirect payments intended for health plans into their own account, exploiting the OptumPay system.
Shodiya and Jamiu accused of setting up fake domain to hijack healthcare payments through OptumPay.
Fraudsters created phony domain to siphon health plan payments into personal account via OptumPay.
The indictment alleges the suspects:
Created a fake domain mimicking legitimate healthcare payment portal
Diverted payments for health plans into their own account
Utilized OptumPay system to facilitate fraudulent transactions
“Defendants Babatunde and Ahmed then changed the banking information on vendor accounts in order to direct third- party vendors to transfer funds intended for Fairview Health into unauthorised bank accounts controlled by the defendants and their co-conspirators,” the indictment sheet stated.
“On or about July 29, 2020, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota made approximately 18 wire transfers totalling nearly $8 million to an account controlled by the defendants.”
Using information inadvertently provided by staff, the suspects hacked into Fairview's Optum Pay account and altered the bank details to redirect payments to their own account.
The suspects exploited unsuspecting staff members, obtaining sensitive information to:
- Access Fairview's Optum Pay account
- Modify bank account details
- Divert payments to their personal account
Unwitting staff disclosed critical information, enabling the suspects to:
- Breach Fairview's Optum Pay security
- Change bank account information
- Embezzle funds
An unnamed vendor transferred over $1 million to the suspects' fraudulent account on November 19, 2020. Additionally, Company A, a health plan provider whose identity remains undisclosed, made two substantial payments into the fake account, totaling $2.8 million. The first payment of $1.4 million was made on November 25, 2020, followed by a second payment of $1.4 million on December 4, 2020.
If apprehended by the EFCC, the suspects face extradition to the United States for prosecution. They will also be required to surrender any assets and funds linked to the fraudulent scheme to the U.S. government. This move highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in combating international financial crimes.
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