OXFORD, Miss. – An Ohio man, Gabriel Waters, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for his role in a widespread email phishing scam that targeted businesses across the United States, including companies in Mississippi, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The scam involved impersonating corporate employees who had access to financial accounts. Using fake emails, the scammers tricked employees, partners, and customers into sending money to bank accounts controlled by the fraud ring.
Waters, age 54, played a critical role by setting up U.S. bank accounts, receiving stolen funds, laundering the money through multiple accounts, converting it into cryptocurrency, and transferring it overseas to other conspirators.
The DOJ confirmed that the scheme caused major financial losses, particularly among Mississippi businesses, and was part of a broader operation affecting victims nationwide.
In addition to prison time, the court ordered Waters to pay over $547,000 in restitution to the affected businesses.
This case highlights the growing sophistication of business email compromise (BEC) scams and the role of domestic operatives in facilitating international cyber fraud.
