A man from Kensal Rise who was a member of a cyber gang which stole more than £1.25million by remotely controlling bank accounts has been jailed for 18 months.
Dean Outram, 32, of Clifford Gardens, tricked his way into the back offices of Barclays Bank in Lewisham, where he switched access to the accounts remotely on July 17 last year.
More than £90,000 was stolen following his actions.
Southwark Crown Court heard the gang used a device known as a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) switch to carry out their scam on Barclays and Santander bank accounts on three occasions.
The first happened on April 4 last year when Darius Bolder, 34, targeted Barclays in Swiss Cottage, allowing the gang to make 128 transfers worth £1,252,490 which were placed in a network of mule accounts set up to launder the stolen cash.
Barclays reported the cyber attack that day and recovered more than £600,000 of the money.
Outram carried out a third attack on September 12 last year when he installed a KVM device at Santander’s branch in Surrey Quay.
Meanwhile Lanre Mullins-Abudu, 25, and Asad Ali Qureshi, 26, attempted to gain access to the banking system in order to transfer what police believe would have been substantial funds.
But the Met’s’ Police Central e-Crime Unit (PCeU) were on to them and officers raided an address in Hounslow where Mullins-Abudu, Qureshi and eight others were arrested.
Outram was also arrested nearby after leaving the bank
In addition to the cyber attacks, police discovered between May 2012 and September 2013 last year Mullins-Abudu, Stephen Hannah, 53, Guy Davis, 49, Adam Jefferson, 38, Segun Ogunfidodo, 26, Dola Odunusui, 29, Martin Thane, 31, Michael Harper, 26 and Tony Colston-Hayter, 49, also used around 500 high value bank and credit cards, that had been either stolen or intercepted, to buy Rolex watches worth up to £30,000 each.
They also bought high-value jewellery and electrical equipment such as Apple Mac computers and iPads in a credit card fraud estimated at around £1m.
The gang, led by Colston-Hayter, used a sophisticated device to spoof genuine bank telephone numbers and fool their victims into providing their personal details and PIN numbers.
Between December last year and February, Outram and 10 other members pleaded guilty to a number of offences.
Yesterday Outram, who was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to steal, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for each.
However he will serve his sentence concurrently.
Mullins-Abudu, from Putney, was jailed for three years after being convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud, two counts of conspiracy to steal and possession of articles for use in fraud.
Colston-Hayter, from Marylebone, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to steal, theft and two counts of possession of articles for use in fraud.
Boldor, from Pimlico, was jailed for two years after being convicted of fraud and conspiracy to steal.
Hannah was jailed for three-and-a-half years, Murphy six months, Jefferson, Ogunfidodo and Odunsi were handed down suspended prison sentences.
The remaining defendants will be sentenced at a later date.
T/DCI Jason Tunn, of the MPS Cyber Crime Unit, said: “These convictions are the culmination of a long and highly complex investigation into an organised crime group whose aim was to steal millions of pounds from London banks and credit card companies.
“Through working with industry partners such as Santander and Barclays, whose efforts in assisting us were immense, we have been able to bring this group to justice.
“This case demonstrates the sheer investigative skill we are able to apply to tackling cyber crime, as we continue working to keep London people and businesses safe from cyber criminals. We are determined to make London a hostile place for cyber criminals and not allow the internet to be a hiding place for those who defraud people in the capital.”
Five others have been charged in connection with this investigation.
Related links: Kensal Rise man convicted of role in £1.25m cyber fraud scam
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