Olasukanmi Owoeye, 28, has been jailed for three years and nine months for his role in a sophisticated bank scam that defrauded victims of nearly £300,000. Owoeye, described as the 'lynch pin' of the operation, operated from a flat in Dartford, Kent, using the iSpoof platform to disguise phone calls and trick victims into revealing sensitive banking details.
Scope of the Scam
Between June 2021 and December 2023, more than 1,000 potential victims were contacted across the country, including in Birmingham, Cambridgeshire, Dorset, London, and Oxfordshire. Victims were told there had been fraudulent transactions on their accounts and were persuaded to make payments to third parties or provide direct access to their accounts. The scam also included texts and automated messages mimicking legitimate financial institutions.
Role of Accomplices
Owoeye employed several female callers, including Alessandra Monaco, 25, of Whitefoot Lane, Bromley, who was the most significant and likely most successful in defrauding victims. Evidence showed that turnover on a crypto account connected to Monaco exceeded £100,000. A third offender, Muhammed Bolade-Matti, 31, of Sedgmoor Place, Southwark, London, was also linked to the conspiracy, with details of victims found in notes on his phone.
Investigation and Arrests
The iSpoof platform was largely dismantled in 2022 after a Metropolitan Police investigation revealed it had been used to make 10 million bogus calls. Enquiries continued, and in January 2024, officers from the Eastern Region Organised Crime Unit (ERSOU), working with City of London Police, arrested Owoeye and Monaco. Total losses attributed to victims contacted by Owoeye's iSpoof account were as much as £277,000.
Sentencing
All three pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court. Owoeye was jailed for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and possession of articles for use in frauds. Monaco received a suspended sentence and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Bolade-Matti also received a suspended sentence and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
Detective Constable Stuart Shields said: "The criminals involved in this conspiracy caused significant distress to victims, exploiting their trust in banks and other financial organisations to steal money through a highly convincing scam. Owoeye was at the heart of the operation, directing others and enabling fraudulent activity over a prolonged period. This case demonstrates that, even when offenders hide behind advanced technology, they can still be identified and brought before the courts. I do hope his sentence provides reassurance to victims and serves as a warning to anyone considering engaging in this type of criminality."
Asset Recovery
The case will now be subject to proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to identify and recover any criminal assets.
