ATLANTA Kerby Rigaud, who participated in an international business email compromise scheme, has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud and money laundering.
"Rigaud and his co-conspirators stole over $1 million from victims while perpetrating their email scam," said U. S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak. "Citizens are urged to carefully scrutinize any email directing the transfer of money via wire."
"Rigaud and his co-conspirators used cyberspace to organize a complex criminal scheme that crossed borders and defrauded numerous people right here in Georgia," said Malcolm D. Wiley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Atlanta Field Office. "Todays sentence should be a warning to other like-minded criminals that take advantage of unsuspecting victims that they will be punished for their crimes."
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: From April 2015 through April 2016, Rigaud served as a key player an international business email compromise scam impacting victims across the U.S., including in the Northern District of Georgia.
In numerous instances, victims received emails that appeared to be from trusted sources, including banking representatives and closing agents. In reality, Rigauds co-conspirators sent the emails, directing the victims to wire money to specific bank accounts, some of which were opened in the metro-Atlanta area. In some instances, the co-conspirators hacked email accounts or they "spoofed" the email addresses, causing the email address to appear as if it were sent by a trusted source, when in reality, it was sent from a different account.
Rigaud recruited numerous individuals who agreed to allow him use their bank accounts for the purpose of receiving large wires from unwitting victims. After receiving the wires, Rigaud directed his recruits on where to send the money, including to a number of financial institutions in Asia. Rigaud and his co-conspirators attempted to steal over $1 million during the timeframe of the conspiracy.
Kirby Rigaud, 27, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to two years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release following his prison term. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $176,059.03.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kamal Ghali, Deputy Chief of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crime Section, prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorneys Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail) or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
--DOJ Northern District of Georgia
Source: U.S. Secret Service