J.k. Randle
6 January 2009
column
Lagos — INVESTIGATIONS believe that Onwuhara first entered the US in 1999 or 2000 on a student visa.
A statement signed by 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 million 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 on-line 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 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".
The FBI pleaded that those who have information concerning the case should contact the local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
Investigation revealed 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 cost $600,000 and Dallas base was described as a playground, where he lived the life of a multi-millionaire playboy and businessman/ renting a condo for $4,000 a month.
Although agents describe Onwuhara as a quiet guy, they say he craved 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 fistful of cash up in the air at one of his favrourite spots, a local strip club. They say he could easily drop $50,000.
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 unraveled 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 artists 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; WO54871136. They gave his height as 5ft 10in, his weight is put at 185 pounds and he uses aliases including "T", "Tobe", "Xavier" and "Enyinna".
Onwuhara's poster says he has access to fake driver's licences and passports and millions of dollars in overseas accounts.
Onwuhara's kinsmen in Nigeria spell the name as Onwughara, meaning "Death left this", and the other name Tobechi means "Keep praising God", while Enyinna means "Darling of the Father."
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Do you Think you would be able to get him ?