A federal judge sentenced Chris Kasimbo Kalwahali, a 27-year-old foreign national from the Democratic Republic of the Congo residing in Hockley, Texas, to 33 months in prison on March 24 after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. The sentencing was announced on Mar. 25 by Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sara J. Jones.
Kalwahali’s case highlights the ongoing threat of business email compromise schemes that target companies by exploiting trusted business relationships. These schemes can result in significant financial losses for businesses and require law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant.
According to court records, Kalwahali’s co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to a business email account belonging to a company in Auburn, Alabama, in March 2023. Using this access, they impersonated the legitimate account holder and sent fraudulent messages instructing business partners to update payment information. This led victims to send payments directly into accounts controlled by members of the scheme.
One such transfer amounted to $209,308.45 and was deposited into an account managed by Kalwahali. He then redistributed these funds among other participants in the scheme and used more than $83,000 of the proceeds at a Houston car dealership for a vehicle purchase.
During sentencing, Kalwahali was also ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment totaling $185,667.20 with additional restitution pending. There is no parole under federal law; after serving his sentence he will be subject to three years of supervised release.
“Business email compromise schemes are a growing threat to companies across our district and the nation,” said Davidson. “Those who seek to exploit trusted business relationships for personal gain must be pursued and held accountable.”
Jones said: “The FBI is working every day to disrupt and dismantle cybercriminals who prey on victims in southern Alabama… Today’s outcome is another example of our commitment… We encourage anyone who has been the victim of cybercrime to report it immediately at www.ic3.gov.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Mobile Field Office with prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle R. Turner and Eric M. Counts.
