5 suspected BDO hackers arrested by NBI

The National Bureau of Investigation last Friday arrested 5 suspects behind the recent hacking of BDO online accounts. This was after an entrapment operation was made to identify the culprits.

The group was composed of two foreign nationals (Nigerians) named Ifesinachi Fountain Anaekwe and Chukwuemeka Peter Nwadi while the three others were Filipinos identified as Jherom Anthony Taupa y Diawan, Ronelyn Panaligan, and Clay Revillosa. An informant who previously made transactions with the group provided information to the NBI, leading to the entrapment and arrest of the five suspects.

Photo by Business World Online.

Dubbed the “Mark Nagoyo” group, the arrested individuals did not give any statement regarding the BDO hack when asked by authorities or the media.

Back in November/December of 2021, around 700 BDO accounts were hacked and money were transferred to a UnionBank account under the name of Mark Nagoyo which prompted an investigation by the BSP and the NBI. This latest incident is among the biggest in the Philippine banking system with crypto being the final channel of the funds.