Cyber Incident Victim: International Bank for Commerce and Industry of Senegal

On April 7, 2025, the International Bank for Commerce and Industry of Senegal (BICIS) was in the process of migrating from its legacy Connexis application to the new My Sunu Corporation platform. During this migration window, cybercriminals gained unauthorized access to the bank’s systems and initiated fraudulent debits. The illicit transactions resulted in an estimated loss of 211 million CFA francs, affecting accounts belonging to various clients such as pharmacies and notary offices. Following the detection of the unauthorized debits, the financial prosecutor requested the opening of a judicial investigation, which was assigned to the judge of the third financial chamber.

The Dakar Research Section (SR) traced the flow of the stolen funds and apprehended Modou Diom, the collection agent for Bamba Global Industrie Suarl, in the Sicap Foire district. During his interrogation, Modou Diom stated that a Nigerian national identified as Sunday Akamibé had solicited him for bank account numbers to facilitate transfers. He disclosed that he provided the account details of D. Gaye, who later presented himself to the SR to denounce the scheme, as well as the two account numbers belonging to his employer, Khadim Khouma. Modou Diom further explained that once the funds were credited, Sunday Akamibé instructed him to convert the amounts into USDT cryptocurrency and remit the equivalent value to a designated wallet. He admitted receiving a payment of 300,000 CFA francs for each transaction carried out under this arrangement. Modou Diom attempted to distance his employer by asserting that Khadim Khouma was unaware of the illicit origin of the funds.

Khadim Khouma, manager of Bamba Global Industrie Suarl, told investigators that Modou Diom had informed him that a client required his bank account number for a transfer. Consequently, Khadim Khouma supplied his account details and received two separate transfers totaling 35 million CFA francs. After the funds arrived, Modou Diom directed him to convert the money into USDT using an account that Modou Diom had provided. Khadim Khouma maintained that he had no knowledge of the source of the funds and claimed he did not personally know Sunday Akamibé. The SR’s investigation revealed that Khadim Khouma lacked any legal authorization to conduct currency exchange or conversion activities within Senegal, exposing him to potential tax‑evasion violations. In pursuit of the still‑at‑large Sunday Akamibé, agents searched his office and seized 10.684 million CFA francs in cash alongside 36 cocaine pellets. Khadim Khouma was subsequently arrested at his residence, where he reiterated that Modou Diom had presented the transfers as a client request. Authorities also indicated that eleven additional recipients of the fraudulent transfers—including merchants and money‑transfer operators—are being actively sought. The financial prosecutor, now handling the case, has asked the judge of the third chamber to open a judicial investigation on charges that include criminal association, complicity in theft by fraudulent computer‑system entry, concealment, breach of exchange regulations, possession and international drug trafficking, and money laundering. According to Libération, the two primary suspects will learn their fate once the case is returned to the prosecutor’s office for final disposition.