Local ties emerge in $215M international email fraud case

Residents of Loganville and Lawrenceville plead guilty

A sweeping federal fraud case with global reach has strong ties to metro Atlanta, including individuals connected to Loganville and Lawrenceville, following multiple convictions in a $215 million business email compromise scheme.

After a four-day trial in Toledo, Ohio, a federal jury convicted three defendants—Oluwafemi Michael Awoyemi, Aruan Drake, and Peter Reed—of wire fraud conspiracy. Awoyemi and Drake were also convicted of money laundering conspiracy. The case, prosecuted in the Northern District of Ohio, is part of a larger investigation that has now resulted in 25 convictions.

Authorities say the scheme targeted individuals and businesses across 47 states and 19 countries by hacking email accounts and impersonating legitimate contacts to request fraudulent payments. Victims included businesses in several Ohio cities, with losses ranging from thousands to millions of dollars.

Local connections surfaced through guilty pleas from multiple co-conspirators. Among them are Olabode Bankole and Mikhail Keize, both identified as residents of Loganville, and Ayobami Osas Christopher, a resident of Lawrenceville. Investigators also seized a 4,423-square-foot home in Lawrenceville as part of the case.

Prosecutors said stolen funds were funneled through a network of fraudulent bank accounts and shell companies. About $50 million was converted into cashier’s checks and processed through a Chicago-area currency exchange, despite repeated warnings from financial institutions.

In total, authorities seized nearly $1.2 million in cash and assets, along with several high-end luxury watches.

Sentencing for all defendants will be determined at a later date.

The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Border Patrol’s Sandusky Bay Intelligence Unit.