A Derbyshire man has been jailed for his role in a sophisticated email scam and money laundering operation that defrauded victims of more than £825,000.
Sylvester Williams, from Derby, was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of participating in a criminal scheme involving fake payment requests sent through compromised email accounts. The 44-year-old acted as a money mule, helping launder large sums into a business account linked to one of his co-conspirators.
Elaborate Email Fraud Scheme
According to prosecutors, Williams was part of a three-man gang that carried out the fraud by hacking into email systems of various businesses. Once access was gained, the criminals sent fraudulent payment requests disguised as legitimate invoices. These requests contained bank details belonging to one of the fraudsters, allowing them to divert funds into their own accounts without immediate suspicion.
Victims, believing they were paying for genuine goods or services, unknowingly transferred funds into the scammer-controlled accounts.
The court heard that Williams allowed his own accounts to be used to receive and funnel stolen money, helping to conceal the origin of the funds and distribute the cash further through layers of transactions.
Police and Court Response
Detectives from Derbyshire Constabulary worked alongside cybercrime units to unravel the scam, tracing the flow of funds across multiple accounts. They praised the victims for coming forward and highlighted the scale of the criminal enterprise.
Sentencing Williams at Derby Crown Court, Judge Philip Marshall KC said:
“This was a calculated and deliberate operation involving deceit and manipulation. You knowingly played a part in laundering the proceeds of serious fraud, which caused significant financial and emotional harm to the victims.”
The judge added that the use of compromised emails made the crime particularly damaging, as it exploited businesses’ trust and left many reeling from unexpected financial losses.
Warning from Authorities
A spokesperson from Derbyshire Police warned the public and businesses to stay vigilant:
“Cyber fraud continues to be a growing threat. We urge companies to double-check bank details, especially when receiving unexpected payment requests, and to implement robust cybersecurity practices.”
They also encouraged anyone who suspects fraudulent activity to report it immediately to Action Fraud.
Protecting Against Email Fraud
Authorities advise the following steps to prevent similar scams:
- Always verify changes to payment details via a direct phone call to the company.
- Enable multi-factor authentication on email accounts.
- Be cautious of urgency or pressure in payment emails.
- Regularly update passwords and antivirus software.
