Latest news with #GabrielOnyeka
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Time of India
Nigerian national's arrest unveils underground cyber crime syndicate
Vadodara: Behind the screen of cybercrime lies a well-oiled network — tight-knit, organized, and ready to protect its own. Recent investigations into a Rs 1.25 crore fraud case have exposed how Nigerian cybercriminals operating illegally in India run sophisticated support systems to evade the law. The case began with the arrest of Gabriel Onyeka, a Nigerian national picked up by Vadodara Cyber Crime police from Maharashtra, months after a cheating complaint was lodged against him. Onyeka had entered India on a medical visa in 2012 and never left, even after his visa expired. But what shocked investigators was not just the scale of the fraud — it was the shadowy network of solidarity among cybercrime gangs that he was part of. "When we seized Onyeka's mobile phones, we found several WhatsApp groups — used by gang members to stay in constant contact," said a Cyber Crime police official. "These weren't casual chats. They exchanged alerts, legal updates and emergency support messages." Inspector Jaydeepsinh Parmar of the Cyber Crime Cell explained how the system worked: "If one of them got arrested or was under investigation, the group would immediately post alerts. Legal aid was swiftly arranged — often without the gang members ever appearing in person, since many are staying in India illegally." The network goes further. Members pooled money to pay legal fees and also supported the families of those in custody. Lawyers were hired in whichever state a gang member was arrested, keeping operations fluid and decentralized. Police say Onyeka was running his own gang, orchestrating high-value cyber frauds. His case has now opened a wider probe into a web of Nigerian cybercrime syndicates that have embedded themselves in Indian cities, operating under the radar with alarming coordination. Investigators are now following the digital trail to identify and apprehend other gang members believed to be involved in similar frauds across the country.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Time of India
Nigerian cybercrook set up garment export business to send money abroad
Vadodara: Ever heard of the garment export business being used as a front to send the ill-gotten gains of cyberfraud abroad? Investigations into a cyberfraud worth Rs 1.25 crore by cybercrime sleuths found that a Nigerian man living here illegally was using the export business as a front to transfer the stolen funds abroad. Police learned about the modus operandi used by Gabriel Onyeka on checking his mobile phone. "We found a lot of photographs of children's garments on Onyeka's phone. He told us he was running an import/export business where he exported children's garments to Nigeria. The business seems to be just a front," said Mayursinh Rajput, ACP (cybercrime), Vadodara. Police said Onyeka came up with the idea to transfer his illegally earned money to gang members in Nigeria. "He would transfer the money stolen from cyberfraud victims to various bank accounts and then withdraw it. He would keep some money for himself and use the rest to buy children's garments," a police official said. "Onyeka exported the garments to his gang members in Nigeria. They would sell the stock for a profit there and keep the money. It is a unique method of transferring the proceeds of crime. We are investigating how an illegal resident managed to get into the export business and how business he has already done," said Jaydeepsinh Parmar, Cybercrime police inspector. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Try a Proven Formula for Healthier Blood Vessels Heart Ease Up Read More Undo Onyeka would go to Surat and Kolkata frequently to buy clothes for his 'business'. The 41-year-old was tracked down by police after a city-based businessman filed a cheating case. Onyeka entered India on a medical visa in 2012 and never left, despite his visa expiring. He lived with his wife and children in a high-rise building in Kalyan in Maharashtra. Mumbai police had arrested him for staying in the country illegally in 2020.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Time of India
Nigerian cyberfraud kingpin arrested for duping businessman of Rs 1.25cr
Vadodara: Cybercrime investigators have arrested a Nigerian national, Gabriel Onyeka, for allegedly defrauding a Vadodara-based businessman of ₹1.25 crore in a sophisticated online scam. Onyeka, 41, was apprehended from his residence in Kalyan, Maharashtra, and is believed to be the mastermind behind an organized cyber racket. Assistant commissioner of police (cybercrime) Mayursinh Rajput said Onyeka posed as a senior executive of a reputed pharmaceutical company and contacted the businessman under the pretense of placing a bulk order for Plukenetia volubilis — an Ayurvedic liquid used in nutritional, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products. "Onyeka initially sent an email offering the victim a dealership and a large order. He then directed him to purchase the liquid from a specific supplier, which was, in fact, a fake firm operated by the accused himself," said Rajput. The complainant, unaware of the trap, purchased one litre of the liquid from the fraudulent firm. Soon after, Onyeka's accomplices met him under the guise of quality checks and convinced him to invest further. Enticed by the promise of substantial profits, the businessman ended up transferring ₹47 lakh for additional orders. The scammers continued to manipulate him into making further payments under various pretexts, eventually defrauding him of ₹1.25 crore. "Once the fraud came to light, we began tracking the phone number used by the accused, which led us to his location in Mumbai. He was using the same number throughout the operation," Rajput told TOI. During the arrest, police seized four mobile phones from Onyeka. One of the devices contained a screenshot of a WhatsApp message he had sent to the victim, further confirming his involvement. Prolonged illegal stay Investigations revealed that Gabriel Onyeka had been living illegally in India for over a decade. He first arrived in 2012 on a medical visa for treatment in West Bengal. However, after his visa expired, he continued to stay in the country and eventually moved to Mumbai. In 2020, Mumbai police had already filed a case against him for overstaying his visa. Onyeka resides in a 2BHK apartment on the 20th floor of a residential tower in Kalyan.
