Five Defendants Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Phishing Scheme Targeting Companies and Cryptocurrency Accounts
A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges five defendants in connection with a sophisticated phishing scheme that stole millions of dollars in cryptocurrency and sensitive company data. The defendants allegedly targeted employees at companies nationwide with phishing text messages, harvesting login credentials to gain unauthorized access to company systems and personal accounts.
The following individuals have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft:
- Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy, 23, College Station, Texas
- Noah Michael Urban, 20, Palm Coast, Florida
- Evans Onyeaka Osiebo, 20, Dallas, Texas
- Joel Martin Evans, 25, Jacksonville, North Carolina, arrested on November 18, 2024
- Tyler Robert Buchanan, 22, United Kingdom (charged in a criminal complaint)
From September 2021 to April 2023, the defendants sent phishing text messages to employees of victim companies, pretending to be from the company or its IT supplier. The messages lured victims into providing confidential information, including login credentials and personal data. Using these stolen credentials, the defendants accessed company systems, stealing intellectual property, proprietary data, and personal identifying information.
The group also used the stolen information to hack into cryptocurrency accounts, stealing millions of dollars’ worth of virtual currency.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, with mandatory consecutive sentences for aggravated identity theft.
The FBI, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Police Scotland, and various FBI field offices are investigating the case.
