MILTON, Fla. — A 22-year-old Texas man, Mohamed Bakayoko, has been arrested and charged with Grand Theft – 1st Degree Felony for allegedly stealing more than $850,000 from the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s Office through a business email compromise (BEC) scam.
Bakayoko was arrested Sunday following an investigation led by the Milton Police Department, with support from the FBI. He now faces up to 30 years in Florida state prison if convicted.
The scam, first reported in April 2024, involved cybercriminals impersonating a legitimate vendor using a compromised email account. Clerk of Court personnel were tricked into updating banking details, resulting in $852,983 being transferred to a fraudulent account.
Authorities say the stolen funds were immediately dispersed across multiple banks and withdrawn in large amounts. Through quick action and coordination, $650,000 was recovered and returned to the Clerk’s Office.
“Forensic analysis traced the origin of the funds directly to Bakayoko in Texas,” said Milton Police. An arrest warrant was secured by Detective Samuel Ennis, and Bakayoko was taken into custody without incident.
Milton Police Chief Jennifer Frank noted that it’s still unclear if Bakayoko acted alone.
“Further investigation will determine if others were involved,” she said.
Santa Rosa Clerk of Court Jason English, who took office after the theft, confirmed that additional checks, balances, and third-party verification tools like Payment Works have since been implemented to prevent future scams.
Bakayoko’s next court appearance is set for June 19. Restitution may be part of his sentencing, according to officials.
Chief Frank urged governments, vendors, and community members to stay alert for sophisticated financial scams like BEC fraud.
