At a press conference on May 29, Chief Jennifer Frank and Detective Sammuel Ennis announced the arrest and what led up to the large theft.
“I stand before you to share the results of a very important investigation,” Frank said. “Earlier this week, we made an arrest in connection with a major fraud scheme that targeted the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Office.
The investigation uncovered that Bakayoko was the recipient of funds fraudulently obtained through a business email compromise (BEC) scam. In this case, cybercriminals impersonated a legitimate vendor using a compromised email account, misleading Clerk of Court personnel into updating the vendor’s banking details. As a result, over $850,000 was mistakenly transferred into a fraudulent account.
Immediately following the transfer, the funds were rapidly dispersed across multiple financial institutions and accessed through substantial cash withdrawals. Upon discovering the fraudulent activity, swift action was taken to freeze the accounts, resulting in the recovery and return of approximately $650,000 to the Clerk of Court’s Office.
“This reflects our department’s commitment to protecting our community, not only on the streets here in Milton, but across the online digital world,” Frank said.
Further digital forensics traced the origin and flow of the stolen funds directly to Bakayoko, a resident of Texas. After transferring the funds into accounts accessible to him, Bakayoko then went to various ATMS and made large cash withdrawals. Ennis secured an arrest warrant, and through coordinated efforts with the FBI, Bakayoko was apprehended without incident.
Frank said Ennis recovered substantial taxpayer funds and led the arrest of a serious offender. She remarked that he showed exceptional attention to detail and persistence through a complex investigation.
“This meticulous approach and commitment to following every single lead that was presented to him make him an invaluable member of our department,” Frank said.
Frank said the multi-month investigation was a collaborative effort and commended the Milton Police Department Detective Division, the Office of the State Attorney, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She said catching scammers and getting money back in an investigation like this is no easy task, and that many cases like it go unsolved.
During the investigation, Bakayoko left the state of Florida, further complicating the case. State, regional, and federal partners like the FBI made securing an arrest warrant possible. Since the crime happened in Santa Rosa County, he was extradited back and is now held at the Santa Rosa County Detention Center.
“I want to take a moment to issue a public safety advisory, business email compromise (BEC) schemes are a growing threat in our region,” Frank said. “We encourage all of our local businesses and our government entities and agencies to remain vigilant.”
Frank said criminals use personal identifying information to use as an indication that they are a trusted partner and gain access to financial accounts. The Santa Rosa Clerk and Comptroller’s office has begun a re-examination of its policies and procedures. Frank said they have many measures in place and remarked that this scam was a sophisticated scheme.
“They have already taken steps to educate their employees, add additional red flags, do some cyber scam training, and review their system and approval process,” Frank said.
The name of the local business that was hacked was not shared. Frank said they are still trying to recoup the remaining funds lost and that revealing the business could compromise the investigation.
