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We have blogged before about internet scams addressed to attorneys.  On Friday, Nigeria’s anti-graft agency announced the extradition of Emmanuel Ekhator to the United States.  Mr. Ekhator was one of the scammers whose indictment we previously wrote about.  Mr. Ekhator stands accused of defrauding dozens of lawyers and law firms of more than $31 million, and attempting to defraud others of more than $100 million.

The scam was quite sophisticated.  An e-mail would seek a lawyer’s help collecting money.  The lawyer would then be contacted by a purported representative for the person or company owing the money who would offer to pay the debt.  When the lawyer received the check, the lawyer would deposit it, and would wire the funds to an Asian bank.  It was only later that the lawyer would discover the check was fraudulent.

-Josh J.T. Byrne, Esquire