12 Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar Business Email Compromise Scheme

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 12-count indictment alleging conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering against 12 individuals for defrauding multiple victims in a nationwide scheme.

The indictment alleges that the defendants listed below were involved in a business email compromise scheme that defrauded the victims out of millions of dollars. These types of fraud target both companies and individuals.

• Demani Jawara Bosket, 50, of Saluda
• Nkem Ajoku 55, of Pflugerville, Texas
• Walter Clayron Ruff Jr., 51, of Gaston
• Tanya Lawshawn Bosket, 51, of Saluda
• Jahbir Rolando Fowle, 45, of Charlotte, North Carolina
• Anthony Jerome Savage, 46, of Charlotte, North Carolina
• Micheal Raymond Bevans-Silva, 38, of Savannah, Georgia
• Carlise Raymion Roland, 32, of Jacksonville, Florida,
• Daniel Alexander Edwards, 51, of Jacksonville, Florida,
• Danny Heard II, 41, of Jacksonville, Florida,
• Raymone Tyshay Scott Sr., 48, of Jacksonville, Florida,
• Jamian Joshaun Butler, 45, of Jacksonville, Florida,

The perpetrators of these types of frauds typically employ the use of "spoofed" emails that appear to be the genuine email address of a legitimate business or banking institution. In reality, the email address is a slight variation of the true email address, and the victim is instead communicating with perpetuators of the scheme.

The indictment alleges that the defendants accessed the victims' computer systems to monitor email communications for potential financial transactions and bank transfers. The defendants used this information to identify the victims' points of contact, financial accounts, communications, and business practices. The defendants then used spoofed emails to impersonate internal personnel, business partners, vendors, or other interested parties. The defendants would then initiate payments or direct financial transfers to bank accounts they controlled. The defendants then shared and intermixed the stolen funds between their own bank accounts, before sending a portion of the money out of the country. The defendants are alleged to have victimized multiple individuals and businesses, including construction companies, private equity firms, title companies, and law firms in South Carolina, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Japan.

The defendants face a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment and fines of $1,000,000. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 4, 2025, at 10 a.m. before the Honorable Paige J. Gossett.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lothrop Morris and T. DeWayne Pearson are prosecuting the case.

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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