Suntrust Bank Allegedly Loses Over ₦800 Million To Hackers
DSS docks Ugochukwu Eze for hacking into SunTrust Bank’s server, stealing N800m
A 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, was on Thursday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank to steal a total of N800m.
Ugochukwu, also known as Amazon, was arraigned before the court by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
DSS accused Ugochukwu of fraudulently hacking into the server of SunTrust Bank to remove and divert the sum of N800 million into several accounts in other financial institutions.
The DSS Prosecuting counsel, M. Bajela, in the charges filed before the court, alleged that the defendant and others now at large, between 2023 and 2026, conspired among themselves and unlawfully and seriously hindered the function of SunTrust Bank Plc’s computer system server and, in the process, fraudulently diverted over N800 million belonging to the bank.
Ugochukwu was also accused of concealing and transferring various sums of money traced to the unlawful cyber-attacks to some account in some financial institutions.
The offences alleged to have been committed by the defendant, according to the prosecutor, contravened sections 5, 6(1) and 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2024. And Sections 10, 20 and 18(2)(D) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Based on his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, and prayed the court to remand the defendant in the facility of the correctional services pending the time the trial will commence.
However, the defendant’s lawyer, E. Afrogha, told the court that she has filed her client’s bail application. adding that her client has been in the DSS custody for over a month.
But the prosecution counsel told the court that he has not been served with the bail application, not withstanding that his witnesses are available.
Based on the counsels’ submissions, the presiding judge, Justice Friday Ogazi, adjourned the matter to August 24,2026 for hearing of the bail application.
Credit: PM News
