By Dishita Malvania
Five individuals have been charged by federal authorities in connection with a sophisticated phishing scheme that targeted employees across the United States. The group allegedly stole sensitive company data, intellectual property, and hacked cryptocurrency wallets, accumulating millions of dollars in stolen funds.
The defendants are accused of sending deceptive phishing text messages to employees, posing as legitimate company representatives or trusted IT providers. These messages falsely claimed that accounts were at risk of deactivation and redirected victims to fraudulent websites designed to steal their login credentials.
Using the stolen information, the group allegedly gained access to company systems, extracting valuable intellectual property and personal data, as well as hacking cryptocurrency accounts.
The accused include:
- Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy (23), also known as “AD,” from College Station, Texas.
- Noah Michael Urban (20), alias “Sosa” and “Elijah,” from Palm Coast, Florida.
- Evans Onyeaka Osiebo (20), from Dallas, Texas.
- Joel Martin Evans (25), known as “joeleoli,” from Jacksonville, North Carolina.
- Tyler Robert Buchanan (22), from the United Kingdom.
Evans was arrested by the FBI in North Carolina and appeared in court on Tuesday. Urban, who is already facing fraud charges in Florida, has pleaded not guilty in a separate case.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated, “We allege that this group of cybercriminals perpetrated a sophisticated scheme to steal intellectual property and proprietary information worth tens of millions of dollars and steal personal information belonging to hundreds of thousands of individuals.”
FBI Assistant Director Akil Davis emphasized, “The defendants allegedly preyed on unsuspecting victims in this phishing scheme and used their personal information as a gateway to steal millions in their cryptocurrency accounts.”
If convicted, the defendants face severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud charges. The FBI, in collaboration with international law enforcement, continues to investigate the case.
