A Nigerian national, James Junior Aliyu, has been sentenced to 90 months in prison for his role in a large-scale wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy involving the hacking of business email systems, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a statement released on Saturday, ICE confirmed that Aliyu would serve a 90-month prison term after participating in a scheme that targeted businesses through compromised email accounts. The agency also disclosed that he was extradited from South Africa to face trial in the United States.
Beyond the prison sentence, James Junior Aliyu was ordered to forfeit $1.2 million and pay $2.4 million in restitution to victims. Authorities further stated that he would be deported from the United States upon completion of his sentence.
ICE highlighted the international scope of the investigation, noting that its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) teams in Maryland and South Africa collaborated with global partners to bring the case to justice.
According to an earlier report by the U.S. Department of Justice, Aliyu, 30, had pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He was identified as the last of three defendants to admit involvement in the scheme, while eight others had previously pleaded guilty in related cases before the District of Maryland.
The case was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, alongside Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella. Authorities described the operation as a complex, coordinated cyber-enabled fraud network.
Court documents revealed that on June 24, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Aliyu along with co-conspirators Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo and Henry Onyedikachi Echefu on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment was unsealed in July 2022 following their arrests outside the United States, after which they were extradited for prosecution.
The plea agreement detailed how, between February and July 2017, the group carried out a business email compromise (BEC) scheme. They gained unauthorized access to email accounts belonging to businesses and individuals, then sent fraudulent wiring instructions using spoofed emails to deceive victims into transferring funds to accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Investigators found that the group also engaged in sophisticated money laundering tactics to conceal the origin of the stolen funds. These included transferring money across multiple accounts, withdrawing cash, obtaining cashier’s checks, and issuing checks to disguise ownership.
Financial records presented in court showed that the intended loss linked to Aliyu’s activities exceeded $4.16 million, while the actual loss suffered by victims was at least $1.57 million. Authorities further revealed that Aliyu directly controlled over $1.19 million of the illicit funds.
Under the plea agreement, he was required to pay a money judgment of at least $1.19 million and full restitution to victims, totaling approximately $2.39 million.
Officials praised the level of international cooperation that led to the successful prosecution. Kelly O. Hayes commended the HSI Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force for its investigative work and acknowledged the support of South African authorities, including the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the National Prosecuting Authority, and the South African Police Service.
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs also played a key role in securing Aliyu’s extradition, highlighting the importance of cross-border collaboration in tackling cybercrime.
The case underscores the growing global effort to combat business email compromise schemes, which continue to target companies and individuals worldwide, often resulting in significant financial losses.
