A Nigerian national has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his involvement in a major darknet fraud scheme that aimed to cause over $6 million in losses. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reported that Simon Kaura was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays in Kansas City, Missouri, without the possibility of parole. The court found that Kaura’s actions resulted in an intended loss of $6,338,500.
Kaura supervised a global organization that sold stolen financial information to buyers on the darknet. To execute his illegal acts, he used several online handles, such as “apples” and “cartman.” In May 2024, Kaura pleaded guilty to his charges and admitted that he operated a business that dealt with payment card data stolen from others. Bitcoin was the primary method of transaction.
DOJ Moves to Seize $4.5 Million Tied to Cyber Fraud
The DOJ indicates that Kaura and his associates functioned across several darknet marketplaces where users could trade in stolen information. These sites implemented a transactional system that required users to use digital currencies to exchange goods illegally, enabling anonymity. The network formed its marketplace, Skynet, allowing cybercriminals a place to trade in the theft of data and other illegal items.
Furthermore, along with Kaura, other fellow conspirators were prosecuted. Individual Taylor Ross Staats was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his participation in overseeing and authenticating the stolen card data for sale. Kaura’s group’s misleading activities involved victims from the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia from 2016 through 2019.
The DOJ is currently looking to seize $4.5 million in funds associated with the fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case after the FBI conducted the investigation. This judgment points out the persistent attitude towards tackling cybercrime and taking responsibility for those involved in it.
