FBI declares Nigerian wanted over $5m fraud + photos

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has declared
wanted a Nigerian, Kelechi Declan James, in
connection with a $5 million fraud.
The FBI issued the notice on April 14, 2017 in a
message on its website.
It promised a $1,000 reward for useful
information that leads to the arrest of James.
James was said to have perpetrated the crime in
connection with others via email.
They were said to have swindled several
persons, with James’ role as the collector of the
funds from the accounts into which the money is
wired.
The FBI notice, titled: FBI Seeking Public
Assistance Locating Kelechi Declan James,
Offering $1,000 Reward for Information That
Leads to Arrest,” added a rider: “James is
Wanted on Federal Criminal Charges Relating to
a Fraudulent E-Mail Scheme That Resulted in
Victim Losses of More Than $5 Million.”
The declaration reads: “FBI agents are looking
for the public’s assistance in locating Kelechi
Declan James. He has federal criminal charges
against him from an investigation by FBI New
York’s Cyber Crime Task Force. James is known
to frequent the Brooklyn neighborhoods of East
New York (Crescent Street and Loring Avenue;
Vermont Street between Blake Avenue and
Dumont Avenue), Brownsville, Bedford-
Stuyvesant (MacDougal and Hull Streets), Crown
Heights (Park Place and Utica Avenue), Flatbush
(E 29th and Avenue D), and East Flatbush (East
51st and Winthrop Street). The FBI is offering a
$1,000 reward for information that leads to his
arrest.
“James is 32 years old, 6’0″ tall, and
approximately 175 pounds. He is a Nigerian
national, has brown eyes and black hair, and may
have a beard. Anyone with information as to the
whereabouts of James is urged to contact law
enforcement immediately. The FBI can be
reached 24 hours a day at (212) 384-1000. He is
not considered to be violent in nature.
“As alleged in a complaint sworn out of the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District of New
York, James, along with four other co-
conspirators, ran a business e-mail compromise
scheme that resulted victim losses of more than
$5 million for their victims.
“As part of scheme, James and his co-
conspirators defrauded victims across the U.S.
by tricking them into wiring money to bank
accounts the victims believed were owned by
family members, friends, or business associates.
They did this in two ways: by overtaking an e-
mail account of an individual trusted by the
victim and then requesting money be wired to a
bank account; or by developing a relationship of
trust with victim like an Internet romance and
then asking the victim to wire money. As soon as
the money was wired, it would be moved from
one account to another, and the funds would be
withdrawn. James’s role in this scheme was to
withdraw the money from bank accounts.”
Alabatvnews.