Fraudster extradited to Houston, facing charges on $7 million international scam

HOUSTON - An international scam artist will be facing charges in Houston after targeting victims out of more than $7 million. 

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Uche Victor Diuno, 57, of Nigeria arrived in the U.S. on Friday after getting extradited from France but appeared in a Houston court Monday at 2 p.m. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas and the FBI - Houston, charges allege Diuno helped orchestrate a scam involving false promises of investment funding by posing as U.S. bank officials in person and online around the world. 

Those victims were reportedly told to make certain payments before receiving funding. Those proceeds were then laundered through American bank accounts before being diverted back to the scheme's perpetrators in Nigeria. 

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Charges also claim Diuna lead a criminal network of "catchers," who sent phishing emails to potential victims offering funding on behalf of other corporations and banks. The perpetrators also used fake domain names to make it look like emails were affiliated with well-known banks like BB&T or Chase. 

Diuno was initially charged in a second indictment from October 2018 for one count of wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering as well as concealment money laundering. 

The current charges name the 57-year-old as "chairman" or the leader in the scheme, with five other individuals (who were not named) charged under the indictment.