By TOYOSI OGUNSEYE
A 30-year-old Nigerian has emerged as one of United States of America's most wanted men. Tobechi Enyima Onwuhara shares the same poster with Osama bin Laden on the website of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the secret service agency of the USA.
The FBI declared him wanted on August 1, 2008.
To emphasise the importance of the suspect and the threat he is posing to the American economy, the FBI placed his picture under that of bin Laden on the agency's identification orders posted on the Internet.
Last year, ex-president George W. Bush ordered the security agents not to leave Onwuhara's trail until he was arrested.
Bush gave the order following an allegation that Onwuhara had allegedly stolen over $44m (about N5.28bn) from American citizens and banks, including a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeal, who was appointed by the ex-president.
The judge was once a Chief of Staff to the late American Senator, Strom Thurmond, who defected from the Democratic Party to the Republican and made history then as the longest-serving and oldest senator in US history.
By the time he was 100 years, he had served 48 years as a lawmaker.
According to the FBI, Onwuhara alias 'T,' 'Tobe,' 'Xavier,' 'Enyinna' and some of his co-conspirators used online Internet databases to steal victims' identities to the tune of $44m.
Investigations by the intelligence bureau revealed that Onwuhara hacked into his victims' personal information through a database, in a bid to access their Home Equity Line of Credit accounts.
Once inside, he would allegedly wire the money to accounts mainly located overseas, but some inside the US.
Onwuhara, who was called a 'fugitive' on the website, has been accused of causing tens of millions of dollars in losses to banks and home-owners.
The suspect was described by the agents as "a very smart and crafty fraudster," who had painstakingly perfected the scam, after lots of research, followed by several tests.
Also described as "The Consummate Con-man" with a seemingly-bottomless bag of tricks, Onwuhara was found to have been spending his money on wine, women and songs.
Among his traits and habits noted by the FBI are: gambling at the casino, flashing money, driving luxury cars and hanging out at strip clubs.
Investigators believe that Onwuhara first entered the US in 1999 or 2000 on a student visa.
"Onwuhara had high aspirations for himself, but his thirst for knowledge extended beyond the university's halls of learning - and they didn't involve getting a degree from a prestigious school," the agency said.
A statement signed by the FBI Director, Robert S. Mueller, reads in part: "Tobechi Enyinna Onwuhara, a convicted felon is wanted for his alleged involvement in an elaborate scheme that defrauded the financial industry out of tens of millions of dollars.
"Onwuhara is a key member of a group of Nigerians, which allegedly has been conducting fraudulent banking activities from Florida and Texas, since 2005. It is alleged that the group has been using online Internet databases to steal victims' identities.
"Once acquired, they allegedly use the victims' information to gain access to the victims' Home Equity Line of credit accounts and wire transfer the money to accounts mainly located overseas, some in the United States.
"Some of Onwuhara's alleged co-conspirators have been arrested, inside and outside of the United States.
"However, Onwuhara remains at large. Onwuhara was charged federally with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest by the United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, on August 1, 2008."
The statement carries a caution, boldly printed in red ink: "Should be considered an escape risk."
Mueller pleaded that those who have information concerning the case should contact the local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
Investigators said Onwuhara had once moved from Seattle in Washington, where he lived for a short time, then Houston in Texas. Later, he was found to have set up homes in Miami and Dallas.
The Miami home is said to cost $600,000, and the Dallas base was described as a playground, where he lived the life of a multimillionaire playboy and businessman, renting a condo for $4,000 a month.
Although FBI agents describe Onwuhara as a quiet guy, they also say he craves the spotlight and let his money do his talking for him.
Dennis Michael Wagner, who works with the "American Most Wanted," reveals that Onwuhara loves "making it rain."
He usually throws fistfuls of cash up in the air, at one of his favourite spots, a local strip club. They say he easily drops $50,000, when he and his associates wanted a "thunderstorm."
According to Wagner, Onwuhara's desires didn't stop with cash and women.
Investigators say he loves luxury cars. He has a Maserati, a Bentley, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and he had been working as a car salesman to indulge his passion.
Once in his possession, agents say Onwuhara would ship the cars to Nigeria to be sold.
According to them, he was so confident in his skills and scams that he never believed they could be traced directly back to him.
The only paper trail Onwuhara left behind led directly back to close associates. Discreet investigations later unravelled his alleged scams in precise detail.
With the money he generated from his illegal activities, they say Onwuhara started his own hip-hop label, called S.W.A.T. Up Entertainment.
He even signed two artistes to the label. It was gathered that Onwuhara owned a recording studio at one point.
Investigators have now spread their dragnet across Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, New Jersey and Canada, looking for the suspect with the security label: W054871136.
Onwuhara's poster says he has access to fake driving licences and passports and millions of dollars in overseas accounts.
The FBI said it won't stop tracking him until he is in handcuffs. He is suspected to be hiding in Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, New Jersey, or Canada.
Born on July 24, 1979 in Nigeria, the suspect has black hair, brown eyes and is slightly built. He weighs 185 pounds and he is 5'10" tall. He does not have any known scar or mark.
The spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said he was not aware of Onwuhara's case with the FBI. "But we will look through our files and see whether there was anything on the man in the past," Babafemi said.
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