A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Jafaar September Nyangoro, 52, of Franklin, Tennessee, and Peter Bah Acha, 45, of Berlin, Germany, in connection with a $1.5 million fraud engineered against Fresno County.

The grand jury charged Nyangoro and Acha with conspiracy and wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith said in a news release.

How the Scheme Worked

According to court documents, Nyangoro, Acha, and others secretly gained control of an email account in 2020 used by the finance director of a Fresno nonprofit. Posing as the finance director, they told Fresno County officials that the nonprofit’s bank account information had changed and that payments should be sent to an account at a different bank.

Between Sept. 24, 2020, and Oct. 13, 2020, the county transferred funds totaling more than $1.5 million to Nyangoro’s bank account instead of the nonprofit’s bank account, prosecutors said.

At times, the alleged co-conspirators communicated via WhatsApp. One example: On Oct. 16, 2020, after Regions Bank reversed some of the fund transfers for suspected fraud, Nyangoro sent a WhatsApp message: “We’re in deep s***. The last 3 transactions from County of Fresno have been reversed. Please call me ASAP!”

FBI Does the Investigation

The FBI investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa.

A magistrate judge in Nashville ordered Nyangoro’s detainment in Nashville on Wednesday.

The crimes carry potential prison terms of up to 20 years and fines of $250,000.