Seeking Information in Tobylink Fraud Scheme
Seeking Information in Tobylink Fraud Scheme
The FBI’s New York Cyber Task Force, which includes agents from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, are seeking to identify potential victims of a large-scale, complex fraud scheme, involving a criminal enterprise based in Nigeria (the “Enterprise”), which—among other things—instructed victims to ship fraudulently obtained consumer products, including electronics and other items, to members of the Enterprise. One defendant has been charged in connection with his participation in the Enterprise, in United States v. Omole, 23 Cr. 367 (JMF) (S.D.N.Y.).
The scams perpetrated by the members of the Enterprise included (i) romance scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims feigning romantic interest, gained their trust and affection, and took advantage of that goodwill to induce victims into sending consumer electronics and other money or property; (ii) online marketplace scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims feigning interest in buying consumer electronics, falsely represented to the victims that the items had been paid for, and instructed the victims to send the consumer electronics; and (iii) employment scams, in which Enterprise members posted phony jobs online and informed unwitting victims that they were hired before instructing victims to send electronics under the guise that those electronics were needed for the job (together, the “Fraudulent Electronics Scams”). Known victims include both businesses as well as individuals.
Olusuen Martins Omole (“OMOLE”) recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, accepting responsibility for his participation in the Enterprise and involvement in the conspiracy detailed above. OMOLE owned and operated a business corporation named Tobylink Impessions, Inc., a/k/a Tobylink Impressions, Inc. (“Tobylink”), which claimed to be a distributor, re-seller, and supplier of satellite communications equipment. In reality, however, Tobylink served as a vehicle through which OMOLE received thousands of fraudulently obtained goods from victims of the Enterprise before repackaging and shipping those items to various co-conspirators located in Nigeria. The Press Release for Oluseun Omole’s guilty plea can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/texas-man-pleads-guilty-wire-fraud-conspiracy-involving-over-12-million-consumer.
Due to the nature of the various frauds perpetrated by the Enterprise, many victims may not be familiar with the name OMOLE or the business Tobylink. The FBI believes Tobylink was operated by OMOLE to receive stolen or fraudulently obtained goods at the following addresses, during the following approximate timeframes:
Dates: February 2018 to October 2021: 11231 FM 1464, A7, Richmond, TX
Dates: August 2021 to March 2023: 10111 Clodine Road, STE C, Sugar Land, TX.
If you and/or your company believe that you were victimized by OMOLE or the Enterprise by sending goods to one of the above addresses during the prescribed timeframes, or have information relevant to this investigation, please fill out this short form.
If you know of someone else who has possibly been victimized by OMOLE or the Enterprise, please encourage them to complete the form themselves.
The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services and restitution, or have certain rights under federal and/or state law. Your responses are voluntary but may be useful in the federal investigation and to identify you as a potential victim. Based on the responses provided, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information. All identities of victims will be kept confidential.
Additional Resources
Romance ScamsBusiness and Investment Fraud Scam
Cryptocurrency Job Scams
Elder Fraud
Business Email Compromise
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
