Suspect used business email imposter and romance scams to perpetrate crimes
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) arrested Taufiq Mohammed Kailani, 47, of Daytona Beach, for organized fraud, fraudulent use of personal identification information for personal gain and money laundering.
The investigation began in December 2020 when FDLE and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office were contacted by a Big Bend construction company and a Sebring construction company after they each received suspicious emails concerning their businesses. The companies were working on a construction project together.
An analysis of the suspicious emails confirmed that one of the company’s email accounts was hacked.
The investigation revealed that Kailani, pretending to be an employee of the Big Bend company, used a business email imposter scam to trick the Sebring company into wiring $60,725 to a fraudulent bank account. To make his scheme appear legitimate, he also attached a counterfeit bank letter to the fraudulent email.
The fraudulent account was opened by an elderly victim Kailani befriended through a romance scam, who unwittingly helped him perpetrate his crimes. After the Sebring company wired the money, Kailani directed the elderly victim to withdraw the money and send it to him.
The investigation was conducted by the FDLE Sebring Field Office with assistance from the FDLE Tallahassee Regional Operations Center, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
Kailani was arrested on an FDLE warrant on March 16 by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into the Volusia County Jail on a $1,500,000 bond. The case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
Visit FDLE’s SecureFlorida.org for information and tips to help keep yourself, your family and your business safe from scams.
