Victor Uzor, a Nigerian national, has been sentenced to 48 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution for his role in a $1.1 million business email compromise scheme.
The sentence was delivered by United States District Court Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge.
The sentencing was announced on Tuesday by United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero via a statement on the Department of Justice website. Uzor had pleaded guilty on January 2, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The scheme involved conspirators posing as legitimate vendors and sending fraudulent invoices to victim organizations. Uzor’s role included opening bank accounts using stolen identities, into which victims’ funds were transferred. Uzor then quickly moved the money to other accounts to evade detection.
Uzor’s actions facilitated the theft of approximately $1.1 million from businesses and individuals, including a failed attempt to steal an additional $400,000. One of the victims was a nonprofit mental health care provider in Doylestown, PA.
“Victor Uzor victimized the people whose identities he stole to facilitate this scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He preyed upon the primary targets of the business email compromise, including a nonprofit organization in Bucks County dedicated to providing behavioral health care for the underprivileged and underserved.”
Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, Wayne A. Jacobs, emphasized the FBI’s commitment to dismantling fraud schemes and protecting citizens’ assets. “Alongside our partners, we will continue to bring to justice criminals who orchestrate these scams,” he said.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore.
