BOSTON – A Louisiana man pleaded guilty yesterday in
connection with an international business email compromise scheme that
defrauded companies of almost $900,000.
Larry Brown Jr., 37, of Lafayette, La., pleaded guilty
during a videoconference hearing to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S.
District Court Judge Denise J. Casper has not yet scheduled a sentencing date.
In April 2019, Brown was charged with co-defendant Paul M. Iwuanyanwu, 39, of
Medfield.
Brown and, allegedly, Iwuanyanwu worked with others who
breached the email systems of companies and installed unauthorized computer
programs that diverted company emails to accounts controlled by the
conspirators. As a result, emails sent by or to the companies were first routed
through the email accounts where conspirators could view the messages.
Conspirators also had the ability to send and respond to emails as if they were
representatives of the companies.
It is alleged that conspirators used this unauthorized
access to companies’ email accounts to cause the companies to redirect payments
intended for legitimate business operations to bank accounts controlled by
Brown and Iwuanyanwu.
The charge of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud
provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised
release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are
imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing
Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael S.
Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in
Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom,
of Lelling’s Securities & Financial Fraud Unit, and Carol Head, of
Lelling’s Asset Recovery Unit, are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The
remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond
a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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