FBI arrested Invictus Obi at the airport just before ‘escaping’ US — risks 20 years in prison

Obinwanne Okeke, Invictus Group CEO, who is popularly known as Invictus Obi, was arrested at the Dulles International Airport, while leaving the United States, TheCable can report.

According to information obtained from the US federal court in Virginia, US, Okeke was scheduled to return to Nigeria four day after a complaint was filed against him at the court, and was arrested at the airport, just before he got on the flight to Nigeria.

An order of detention pending trial was filed on August 2, 2019, on the grounds that “by a preponderance of evidence that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the defendant’s (Okeke) appearance as required”.

A source familiar about the matter told TheCable via mail that “the attached court documents from the US federal court in Norfolk, Virginia confirm that Okeke was indeed arrested by the FBI, on August 6 at the Dulles International Airport”.

According to his arrest warrant obtained by TheCable, he was taken for violation of US laws as it concerns “conspiracy to commit computer fraud” and “conspiracy to commit wire fraud”.


The Arrest Warrant

The affidavit sworn by Marshall Ward, a special agent with FBI, had said as of August 2, 2019, “the date of this application, OKEKE is currently in the United States, and is scheduled to depart the country on August 6, 2019”.

“Therefore, a warrant for his arrest is immediately required to apprehend him and prevent his retum to Nigeria, where he would be beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement.”

THE BACKGROUND

In June 2018, Unatrac Holding Limited, a company which deals in sales of heavy industrial and farm equipment, was said to have approached the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) over a breach in the email account of its chief financial officer where a fraudulent transfer of funds was done.

The intruder was said to have sent phishing emails containing a web link, purportedly to the login page of the CFO’s online email account hosted by Microsoft Office 365.

Believing the link to be genuine, the CFO was said to have imputed his username and password from where the intruder got full access to the account and sent a fraudulent wire transfer request to the company’s internal financial team.

Acting under the impression that the email emanated from the CFO, the finance staff processed approximately 15 payments between April 11 to 19, 2018, totalling $11 million.

‘INVICTUS OBI MAY GET CLOSE TO 20-YEAR JAIL TERM’


Okeke, who requested to for substitution of legal counsel is now being represented by John O. Iweanoge, II and THE IWEANOGES FIRM. The Iweanoges took over from Rahul Sharma, a US federal public defender.

Based on precedence, Okeke could get between five and twenty years jail term for conspiracy to commit computer and wire fraud.

According to the Legal Information Institute, anyone who “knowingly and with intent to defraud, accesses a protected computer without authorization, or exceeds authorized access, and by means of such conduct furthers the intended fraud and obtains anything of value, unless the object of the fraud and the thing obtained consists only of the use of the computer and the value of such use is not more than $5,000 in any 1-year period”.

If the financial value of information taken exceeds $5,000, the convicted shall be subject to a fine or imprisonment for not more than ten years, or both.

As for wire fraud, a person convicted for a single act of wire fraud can result in fines and up to 20 years in prison, according to criminal defence attorneys in the United States.

Persons familiar with wire fraud cases in the US told TheCable that a combination of these sentences could result in a higher jail term for the estranged Nigerian entrepreneur.

Okeke has since faded of social media.

https://www.thecable.ng/fbi-arrested-invictus-obi-at-dulles-international-airport-just-before-escaping-us/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Nawa ooo!

Nine days for the thief, One day for the owner.

Motivational speaker on his way to become jailhouse p***y

He should have contacted benin airways for faster, precise transport

He had money; dirty or otherwise.

He just didn't have power.

All the 77 guys arrested did not have power. All they used their money to do was buy drinks in the club.

If you know, you know.

this guy dey do scam na im u go camp for america bnaira hushpuppi investor bj wey camp for malay dubai and southy wey no dey reach us u think sey u get sense pass them?

frbona:
Motivational speaker on his way to become jailhouse p***y

make this matter rest abeg... The guy has been apprehended, fine. He might have made his mistake, let everyone move on.
There is large scale fraud going on under your nose here in Nigeria no one is bothering about

Jaguda.

Give him 20 years.

By then, Immanuela go don give birth.

Thank God he wasn't arrested in Nigeria

MoonWater:
make this matter rest abeg... The guy has been apprehended, fine. He might have made his mistake, let everyone move on.
There is large scale fraud going on under your nose here in Nigeria no one is bothering about

Gbam.

It's sad we're going to be losing such a brilliant young man to the American system. Let the holy cast stones, let the wise learn.

Sad as it is, many people spitting bile and acid regarding this issue depend on this dirty money directly or indirectly to survive; they just don't know it.

I know businesses that feed whole families, pay salaries, send children to school that would have crumbled if they were not constantly patronized by "these guys" people are talking about.

As Nigerians are becoming known for cybercrimes, the South Americans are known for drugs, the Arabs known for terrorism, the Asians and italians for organized crimes, russians prostitution, drug, etc rings, indians rape, omo e plenty. There is no country where there is no crime, even the US.

I don't know why y'all are shouting. The US will just be using the opportunity to gain more control. See our government officials shouting extradition up and down, the fools, they will only be shooting themselves in the leg.

Best we can do is make things at home work first. No need crying over spilled milk. A child will surely do what he sees/thinks his father does.

Sweep your house so your children will not carry dirty feet outside.

It is well... May we not do things or come across people that will make us disgrace our family names..... Amen.

He don be for this guy...If he has children too sad they wont enjoy daddy...He should continue the wire inside life

MoonWater:
make this matter rest abeg... The guy has been apprehended, fine. He might have made his mistake, let everyone move on.
There is large scale fraud going on under your nose here in Nigeria no one is bothering about

wanna sign me up?

Gelat0:


[s]Gbam.

It's sad we're going to be losing such a brilliant young man to the American system. Let the holy cast stones, let the wise learn.

Sad as it is, many people spitting bile and acid regarding this issue depend on this dirty money directly or indirectly to survive; they just don't know it.

I know businesses that feed whole families, pay salaries, send children to school that would have crumbled if they were not constantly patronized by "these guys" people are talking about.

As Nigerians are becoming known for cybercrimes, the South Americans are known for drugs, the Arabs known for terrorism, the Asians and italians for organized crimes, russians prostitution, drug, etc rings, indians rape, omo e plenty. There is no country where there is no crime, even the US.

I don't know why y'all are shouting. The US will just be using the opportunity to gain more control. See our government officials shouting extradition up and down, the fools, they will only be shooting themselves in the leg.

Best we can do is make things at home work first. No need crying over spilled milk. A child will surely do what he sees/thinks his father does.

Sweep your house so your children will not carry dirty feet outside.[/s]

Some businesses survive on kidnapping.

May the ills of society you accept visit your home.

.

OndoFirstBorn:
One day for the thief, One day for the owner.

Oga, it's nine days for the thief and one day for the owner.

Kikikikikikiki, Igbo's Amaka.

[s]

Jamesbally:
Kikikikikikiki, Igbo's Amaka.

[/s]

0k

OK

He pleads guilty then he gets at least 5 years. If he pleads not guilty he gets 20 years plus. So why must he prove strong head by pleading not guilty. (Only greed I suppose )

The court proceedings will be an avenue to impress his business application strategy by pleading guilty where he will be sentenced to probably 5 years. Thereafter he will be released to enjoy the remaining proceeds and welcomed in Nigeria like the celebrated thief James Ibori

Gelat0:
He had money; dirty or otherwise.

He just didn't have power.

All the 77 guys arrested did not have power. All they used their money to do was buy drinks in the club.

If you know, you know.

money and power...

w

Nice move by the American Government....

Seriously, we Nigerians need to always think straight..

yOu don't even know if the person that yOu want to dupe... Whether na his/her last card be that.

Work hard and Pray.... Trust God, he will surely bless yOu.

In addition to this, my people.

If yOu need Original Unadulterated Honey.

Call or whatsapp me on 081 0166 6771

I was expecting to see photos of him being arrested not these kind of 'photos'

O she baba remain der and serve ur jail term fraudsters always embarrassing the country