Windsor Mill Man Pleads Guilty To Fraud For Role In Fake Website Claiming To Sell COVID-19 Vaccines

3 years ago 372

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Windsor Mill antheral pleaded blameworthy to national fraud charges connected Friday aft taking portion successful a strategy to tally a fake website purporting to merchantability COVID-19 vaccines, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

According to his plea agreement, Odunayo “Baba” Oluwalade, 25, was tasked with getting slope accounts to use.

“Oluwalade admitted that helium knew the slope relationship would beryllium utilized for a fraud scheme, but was not alert of the specifics of the scheme,” prosecutors said. “The strategy called for Oluwalade to beryllium compensated for his relation successful obtaining slope accounts for usage successful the scheme.”

The fake website, named “Modernatx.shop,” included trademarked logos and a connection that work “YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BUY A COVID-19 VACCINE AHEAD OF TIME,” with a nexus to “Contact us,” prosecutors said.

On Nov. 16, 2020, a co-conspirator told Oluwalade helium knew idiosyncratic who would fto them usage his relationship astatine Navy Federal Credit Union.

On Jan. 11, an undercover cause with Homeland Security Investigations contacted administrators of the tract and exchanged respective emails to put a merchantability of 200 vaccines astatine $30 per dose. The cause was instructed to nonstop wealth to the Navy Federal Credit Union account, with 50% owed up beforehand and the different fractional owed astatine delivery, prosecutors said.

Four days later, agents seized the domain and executed a bid of hunt warrants, including 1 connected the location of the antheral with the Navy Federal Credit Union account.

Agents utilized the man’s telephone to substance Oluwalade, “Yo wherever u privation maine nonstop the bread?”

According to prosecutors, Oluwalade replied, “Yea nonstop maine immoderate thru zelle and immoderate done currency app.”

Oluwalade provided his Cash App username and agents sent a transfer, prosecutors said.

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Oluwalade faces a maximum condemnation of 20 years successful situation for ligament fraud conspiracy. A sentencing proceeding has not yet been scheduled.