helped scam Parma Heights out of $504,000.U.S .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Adam Ferrise, cleveland.comCLEVELAND Ohio — When a Parma Heights finance employee opened an email in June 2023 The email from a contractor who fixed a road as part of a joint Cuyahoga County and Parma Heights project sought payment for the city’s portion of the bill—$504,576.01 The city wired the money to the account listed in the email just as the city does about every day to pay for expenses Except the email didn’t come from the contractor It came from scammers who had hacked into a city email patiently monitored the account and struck when the opportunity presented itself “I ultimately found out that they had been in the system for three to four weeks just looking for invoices,” said Parma Heights Police Chief Steven Greene who investigated the case before his promotion to the top cop in the city Greene said the city’s cyber insurance covered more than half of the loss Greene’s investigation led him to work with J.P a police department in Washington and ultimately with the FBI who on Tuesday arrested one of the suspected hackers Authorities say the Opute’s group used the same “email takeover” scam to swindle a Bedford commercial construction company out of $337,000 and a car dealership in Everett the group stole more than $1.1 million in less than a week a Nigerian citizen living in Sandy Springs was charged Wednesday in federal court in Cleveland with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft an attorney who represented Opute at his initial appearance in Georgia Opute is a Nigerian Afrobeats artist who released several songs in the late 2000s and early 2010s District Judge Bridget Brennan in Cleveland reversed a Georgia magistrate judge’s order that would have allowed Opute to be released from custody with a GPS monitor on Friday morning Brennan ordered that Opute remain in custody and be sent to Cleveland to face arraignment “I’m shocked and very happy they were able to identify someone in the United States and make an arrest,” Greene said Opute’s group sent so-called phishing emails containing a link or attachment that allowed hackers unfettered access to the email account they just sat back and watched,” Greene said The group sifted through emails to find out what expenses the city paid out and to whom they hid the real invoice in a spam folder and sent a nearly identical email that included the wire information for the hacker’s bank accounts Greene said in prior iterations of the scam the email would contain numerous errors that would alert someone that it could be fake was a nearly identical email from the one that was initially sent they had changed a lower-case “l” to a “1.” The payment $504,000 payment was sent on June 6 No one knew the money had gone to the wrong account until nine days later when the hackers tried it again they copied an email from a contractor who built a retaining wall in the city and sought a $469,200 payment The money was initially wired to the hackers but a security officer at the city’s bank flagged it as fraud and canceled it Morgan’s security officer and eventually other law enforcement officers around the country who had been investigating similar scams Greene said he found the group created more than 150 email accounts that mirrored construction companies Investigators found that once the money was wired the hackers sent it through several other bank accounts and pass-through accounts before withdrawing the money using more than 100 pre-paid debit cards Opute also withdrew his cut of the money at ATMs in the Greater Atlanta area Opute and others used real people’s stolen identities to load the debit cards they tracked his whereabouts through the GPS device in his phone and followed him from his $699,000 home as he drove around in his gold Range Rover FBI agents called Opute before raiding his home He immediately reset one phone before leaving the house with a woman and a child Attorney Megan Miller wrote in a court filing Miller wrote that Opute admitted to living at the home and that FBI agents found clothes that matched ATM surveillance photos of a masked Opute withdrawing cash Opute sold his home for $770,000 and his Range Rover Investigators arrested Opute on April 29 during a traffic stop and found him with several cellphones in asking for a judge to sign off on keeping Opute in custody wrote that he lied several times during his initial court appearance in Georgia including about where he lived and about his status as a citizen Opute said during the hearing he became a U.S but Miller wrote he is a lawful permanent resident and was twice denied citizenship He also lied about how often he traveled internationally and his employment history Miller said Opute had access to cash and bank accounts in Nigeria and had dozens of fake identities “Opute’s use of these fake identities helped him hide his identity and distance himself from efforts to recover the stolen proceeds,” the prosecutor wrote “Opute now may similarly convert this ready access to other people’s identities and financial information not only flee from law enforcement under an assumed name but to obtain the financial means by which to do so.” Adam Ferrise covers federal courts at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices By Avery WilliamsPublished: Apr 2025 at 2:03 PM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPARMA HEIGHTS Ohio (WOIO) - Parma Heights police say a standoff overnight ended peacefully with the suspect in custody Officers say they were called out just before midnight Sunday for an armed man walking on Stumph Road near Big Creek Parkway Officers say a standoff that lasted about two hours broke out when they found him the standoff came to an end with no one getting hurt and no shots being fired Police say the man was taken to a local hospital The City of Parma Heights swore in its new police chief Monday evening Steven Greene has been with the Parma Heights Police Department for over 34 years the city said he has progressive leadership experience and expertise in personnel and project management Greene graduated from Kent State University and he also attended the Ohio State Highway Patrol Basic Peace Officer Academy He is coming into the role as chief with experience in community relations serving as a Tactical Operator with the Southwest Enforcement Bureau was a member of the Parma Heights Police Department’s Traffic and Bicycle Patrol Units and has done much more before stepping into his role as chief "He has served as chair of the Communications Committee of the Cuyahoga County Emergency Services Advisory Board and Chair of the Cuyahoga County Technical Advisory Committee," the city said in its post he investigated countless crimes resulting in numerous successful prosecutions." *This article contains a graphic image of one of the victims* An 88-year-old man is under investigation as the alleged driver who hit a mom and her toddler in a Marc's grocery store parking lot Friday night RELATED: 'You hit my son and left him there': 2-year-old boy, mother injured in alleged hit-skip officers responded to the parking lot of Marc's after 32-year-old Shalonte Maddox and her 2-year-old son were struck by a vehicle while she was pushing him in a cart While police said the vehicle made no attempt to stop Maddox recalled the driver stopping for a brief moment before traveling eastbound toward Ridge Road "When the car stopped and then decided to keep going He rolled from up under the car," she told me on Sunday Maddox added that several people witnessed the incident and not only ran to her aid but also tried flagging the driver who allegedly plowed through the pair to stop but you hurt my baby," Maddox previously told me Maddox said Genesis now has a banged-up arm Parma Police hadn't released any further information about the crime Parma Police confirm a search warrant was granted Monday for the vehicle While the driver has been possibly identified that individual has not been taken into custody as of Wednesday morning but Parma Police told News 5 they have an idea of who it may be "Due to the man’s family connection to a civilian employee of the Parma Police Department the investigation has been turned over to the Parma Heights Police Department to prevent a conflict of interest Parma Heights Police will take over the investigation and pursue applicable criminal charges," the Parma Police Department shared Maddox said she does not understand how law enforcement can find the suspect who severely hurt her child and not charge him at this time "The first thing on my mind is how are you What made you decide to leave out the parking lot Because anyone else would have been in jail for sure." I called Parma Police Public Information Officer Scott Traxler on Tuesday "Despite the connection this 88-year-old suspect has [The alleged crime] would still be considered a felony." Traxler said that for the sake of the investigation the department wants to keep it out of the Parma court system so "it's clean" and to avoid a conflict of interest Traxler added that by handing the case to Parma Heights Police it can bypass the courts and go directly to a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury we'll move forward on charges," Traxler told me over the phone I then asked Maddox if she felt like her case would be handled appropriately by having a different police department review the evidence "If they didn't do anything at the Parma [Police Department] because of conflict of interest how can I depend on you guys to do anything as well You could throw the conflict of interest out It's the part that he's 88 and it happened in Parma I feel like they should be handling [it] and if that's the case is whoever he's [involved with] they shouldn't have anything to do with it." Maddox initially told me on Sunday that justice for her son looked like jail time and criminal charges "I don't want to see an 88-year-old man go to jail I just want justice for my son to be served," Maddox stated "He's the one who has to grow up with a scar across his forehead and I would never let anyone think that it's OK." Genesis is already making a speedy recovery from what we could see on Tuesday Maddox said this situation ending in court is the only way she sees appropriate "At some point the world needs to know that after a certain age you should have to take another driver test to see if you mentally emotionally could do this like how they have to take eye exams Elderly people should have to do something to see if they could still be on the road," Maddox said "Do you forgive the person who did this?," I asked Maddox Maddox said doctors estimate Genesis' arm will be back to normal in about a month and he'll continue to have headaches for a while due to the impact on his head "I'd say about two months and he'll be back," Maddox said Maddox said Genesis begins occupational therapy on Friday To have him still in my arms just means everything to me." Maddox said officials have told her the driver suspected of hitting her and Genesis does have insurance but that she hasn't been provided with much more information The Parma Police Department released the following statement Wednesday evening: Editor's Note: The previous headline of the story stated that a person had not been arrested because of their familial ties to the Parma Police Department Police say that the reason no one has been arrested yet is because the investigation is still ongoing .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Benson, special to cleveland.comPARMA HEIGHTS police were dispatched to York Road regarding a car crash involving a blue Mazda The at-fault vehicle was traveling south on York Road when it collided with a utility pole The driver then reversed at high speed across the intersection striking an oncoming black Toyota before crashing into a tree the Parma Heights resident was arrested for drunken driving She was also cited for failure to maintain reasonable control reckless operation and improper starting/backing a resident came into the police station lobby to report that someone had made fraudulent purchases on his Ohio EBT card in Pennsylvania police were dispatched to North Church Drive regarding quite an incident The caller said her live-in boyfriend had stabbed a knife into her bathroom door struck a wall with a machete and fired a single handgun round into the apartment wall An arriving officer talked to the boyfriend who was mad because he thought the girlfriend was cheating on him The man was arrested for improper discharging of a weapon police were dispatched to a Stumph Road address regarding a suspicious incident An arriving officer located a Parma Heights resident who was found walking in the roadway while carrying an AK-style rifle The man was arrested for disorderly conduct obstructing official business and inducing panic a Sherborn Road resident came to the police station after discovering an unauthorized transaction on their credit card Get police blotters by email every weekday for free with our new Police Blotter newsletter. Sign up at cleveland.com/newsletters Read more from the Parma Sun Post Ohio — Some community members are speaking out and fighting to save what they're claiming is a "historic landmark" in Parma Heights The Parma Heights Library has been a community staple for more than six decades The city has now secured funding and is preparing to demolish the building to make way for a brand-new library in the same area The city and some community members say the library is in dire need of upgrades They say it makes far more sense to knock it down some residents say that this should be out of the question and claim that the building could be in history books The saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" has taken on a literal meaning for long-time Parma Heights residents and library go-ers who frequent the Pearl Road branch Just like all the other libraries that were built in that time," Leo Ciccotosto of Strongsville said out-of-this-world exterior and saucer shape It's a building like no other," Jim Wohl of Parma Heights said "You could say this is the small nephew of the Seattle Space Needle," Emery Pinter of Parma Heights said He swam at the nearby pool in the summer and would read books at the library with his buddies as a young child He's now on a mission to preserve what he says should be a candidate for the National Register of Historic Places "I wanna save the library because it has architectural and historical significance This was the first municipality in the state of Ohio that created a bond issue to make a library and set a legal precedent," Pinter said the City of Parma Heights is moving full steam ahead with plans to demolish the old 15,000 square foot library and build a brand new one virtually right across from it in the same area The new library will be constructed where the former ice rink and old indoor soccer facility once stood "It's a huge upgrade for our community," Mayor Marie Gallo said Gallo has championed a new upgraded branch for the last three years and got unanimous approval from city council and library officials to make it happen Renderings show what the $16 million project will look like The building will sit at a sprawling 22,000 square feet and feature multiple new amenities that she says will keep it in operation for decades recreational and educational amenities besides just books—an upgrade in technology it will bring a lot to our city that our current library does not offer," the mayor said Gallo says the old library is in dire need of repairs which are very apparent from the outside to the inside She pointed out the bricks were in bad shape and cracking The windows are fogged up and sometimes leaking There's also a critical need for a new HVAC system "The upgrades alone—if we were to keep the old building And to re-purpose the building into something else would-be additional cost," the mayor said He says he wants the city to save the building senior activity center or it could be expanded into Parma Heights Historical Museum," Pinter said Gallo says they have to look to the future and be realistic "It's not a historical building and to preserve the integrity of that design would be a fiscal drain on the city," Gallo said Groundbreaking on the new library is set for mid-October It's set to take at least 13 months to build The city says they will keep the old library open right up until the day the new one is ready for the public The city says it will create more union jobs as well Pinter is currently circulating a petition to preserve the library You can sign it here the area will be turned into green space until the city decides what to do next They say it will complement the Veterans Memorial and nearby gazebo News 5 will continue to Follow-Through on each development Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) - A Parma Heights police officer was hospitalized after breaking up a fight between two siblings at Valley Forge High School The incident happened in the early morning hours of March 18 before school started “The argument was found to be a continuation of an altercation between the family members from the previous evening,” PHPD learned The Parma Heights police officer assigned as the school resource officer along with Parma City School District staff actively worked to de-escalate the situation PHPD said the SRO was injured when trying to break up the physical altercation between the siblings The SRO was taken to a local hospital and treated for his injuries and no weapons were involved in his incident “The totality of this incident occurred before the start of the school day and there was not any threat to other students within the building,” PHPD stated PHPD said the incident report will be sent to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office for official charges Ohio — News 5 continues highlighting efforts to bridge the gap and serve those often overlooked across Northeast Ohio One in 8 people in the United States ages 12 or older has hearing loss in both ears Parma Heights is marking a milestone and working to change countless lives in the process The city has welcomed its first-ever Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing The Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is officially open to the public and is located steps away from Parma Heights City Hall Officials say this is a major moment because less than 10 centers exist in the entire state of Ohio It has been a long time coming for a community that they say has struggled to get funding and support "This center is so important because there's a large community that does not have access," Tim Skaggs director of the Cleveland Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing With ASL interpreter Jordan Reusser by his side—Tim Skaggs is celebrating a major milestone for the deaf community It comes in the form of a former bank building along Pearl Road in Parma Heights—which will continue to undergo a transformation in the near future "Sometimes people drive an hour for service-- which we feel so grateful that they're willing to come we wanted to be in the heart of the community that we serve," Skaggs said The center is directly affiliated with the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center freestanding community center in the region It covers seven counties and is a critical lifeline to those sometimes living in isolation "This is a crisis for the deaf community because they need access to early language to vocational services and having eight community centers is not enough," Jennell Vick CEO and president of Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center Vick says it has been an uphill climb for a marginalized She says there are few resources and even less funding "We exist because the state provides minimal funding it's been less than $30,000 for the entire state," Vick said Vick and several others have fought for funding and exposure over the years the state now provides a little more than half a million dollars for the deaf community as a whole Centers like this have been a godsend for Tim and so many others who were born deaf I thought I was the only deaf person in the entire world I hadn't met any other deaf individuals," Skaggs said The facility serves roughly 200 deaf and hard-of-hearing clients and they're expecting to double their client base in the near future bringing comfort and lessening intimidation for so many It was a large part of why they selected the building "This location has helped a lot to be easily identifiable and easily accessible," Skaggs said Parma Heights Mayor Marie Gallo celebrates the project and is flattered they chose Parma Heights She says inclusion is critical in the community "We're a central location for a lot of their members We have access here through the RTA bus line The Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers countless amenities essential support through vocational rehabilitation case management and further training programs interview skills—there's a lot of people who haven't had access to language and their knowledge of the world is very Officials say the goal is to create a safe space and source of community engagement for future generations The Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is open five days a week—by appointment If you want to support their mission further, schedule an appointment or give back, CLICK HERE. Funds raised will also go toward a large capital improvement project on the building Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPARMA HEIGHTS Ohio (WOIO) - Orders were still filled for the day after a car crashed into a Parma Heights bakery Saturday morning According to Parma Heights Fire Department (PHFD) a driver was pulling into a parking space and accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes and drove into the front window of Lydia’s Hungarian Strudel Shop The PHFD said there was no structural damage to the store and no injuries The bakery reports all orders were still filled for the day A little slice of Europe opened in Parma Heights this past summer with Cafe Blanc light-filled coffee shop and restaurant owned by Volodymyr Yaremko which he runs with his fiancee Christina Gabyak “I used to live in Ukraine and used to travel Europe all the countries out there,” Yaremko says “I just was missing the European vibe in Cleveland because there’s not much here.” a daycare Yaremko’s sister Halyna Dutka runs the cafe has been a quick hit for its Instagrammable interior carefully selected coffee menu and from-scratch cooking — and for bringing a local coffee shop to an area that lacks that sort of thing “It means the world to us that people are supportive of our business because we were very nervous that people would think they don’t know what they’re doing “We put our whole heart and soul into this.” The polished interior was an intensive project for Yaremko — particularly standout features like a wallflower mural with seasonally changing elements hundreds of feet of carefully draped DIY LED cotton-rope lights that Yaremko crafted by hand and wired into the custom configuration The 29-year-old business owner aimed to use all natural materials in the shop’s decor leaning into neutral browns and off-whites — “like coffee and milk.” A spiral staircase transports customers to a second floor overlooking an olive tree near the entrance But the thing that pulls it all together was specific to the corner of the building filled with natural light from an abundance of windows this is where I can make a cafe — and I have a vision for it,’” Yaremko recalls RELATED: One Star Bar, An Approachable Dive Bar, to Open in Lakewood Gabyak poured into her passion of cooking with Cafe Blanc Gabyak says — particularly varieties of crepes ($12-$16) and tarts ($6-$9) “We don’t buy pistachio paste; we literally get our own pistachios and we blend them up to make our own paste,” the 22-year-old chef points out standouts include the spicy zuppa toscana ($9) sourdough flatbread pizzas ($14-$20) and the “eggcrepewich” ($16) Cafe Blanc was an entirely new adventure following her work as an intensive care unit nurse “All of my cooking experience was all just recreational One blind spot for Yaremko and Gabyak turned out to be coffee “Neither of us are coffee drinkers,” Gabyak says who had initially dreamt of owning a restaurant researched coffee bean sources and invested in an espresso machine and they asked surrounding community members to test various coffee beans with daycare teachers who shared the building to reach their decision of using 8th and Roast beans They also encouraged baristas to bring their own experience and styles into the menu.  “Most of the baristas are European; one of them was a barista in Poland for a long time,” Gabyak says “So it was really cool to get all the different parts of the world and they have their different techniques.” Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that Volodymyr Yaremko is the sole owner of Cafe Blanc For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features helpful guides and beautiful photography and design A Rocky River man was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sexually abusing one toddler and recording an explicit video of another at an in-home Parma Heights day care.Getty Images .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Lucas Daprile, cleveland.comCLEVELAND Ohio – A Rocky River man who admitted to sexually abusing a toddler and possessing child pornography was sentenced Thursday to 35 years behind bars District Judge Bridget Brennan handed down the sentence and ordered Walker pay $75,000 in restitution Brennan called Walker’s crimes “horrifying” and said he is “an extreme danger to the community.” “If the FBI had not acted as quickly as they did I have no doubt there would be more victims,” Brennan said Cuyahoga County prosecutors had charged Walker with rape and gross sexual imposition but dropped the charges in lieu of the federal case Walker during the hearing apologized to the families of the victims who were in court for the sentencing but did not speak publicly asked Brennan to consider his client’s relatively young age and the prospect that he could be reformed in prison a friend of the daycare operator’s adult son admitted to sexually abusing the 2-year-old girl who was sleeping over at the daycare center on one of the many nights he spent there He recorded the abuse and posted it online where an unnamed foreign government spotted it and reported it to U.S they found the video depicting the abuse on his phone along with 1,160 images and 230 videos of child pornography “Most of [the children in the videos] were subject to the same types of rape abuse and torture that victims...suffered at the hands of Mr Attorney Jennifer King said while arguing for a 40-year prison sentence King said investigators found evidence that Walker was trying to find a fourth victim at the time of his arrest “The variety of ways in which he was trying to abuse and take advantage of young children had no limit,” King said Ohio (WOIO) - City officials welcomed a new grocery store to the neighborhood Tuesday The store features plenty of Eastern European groceries from Ukraine Customers can also purchase prepared meals such as cabbage rolls and Reubens are among some of the items you can order from the grill Customers are also able to order from the grill Ohio (WOIO) - Residents on oxygen are invited to come to the fire department for emergency refills according to a post by the Parma Heights firefighters The fire station is located at 6184 Pearl Rd If you have no transportation to the fire department please call 440-885-1717 and a firefighter will come to your home Power outages are closing roads and businesses throughout Northeast Ohio Wednesday; including Click here for a complete list of closures Click here for the latest on power outages. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) - A bakery heavily damaged when a driver crashed through the front of their store, is still filling their customer’s Thanksgiving orders. Lydia’s Hungarian Strudel Shop will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. for pre-orders to be picked up. “We’re a family business, like I said for 86 years and a lot of people depend upon our product, our pastries for the holidays,” Daughter of Lydia Cheri Maatz said. The accident happened on Saturday, Nov. 23. According to Parma Heights firefighters, a driver was pulling into a parking space and accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes. Nobody was injured and firefighters said the building was structurally safe. “We’re just thankful that nobody got hurt,” Owner Lydia Rakosy said. “Even the guy that came in, only thing he had was his finger and that’s because he picked up a piece of glass.” Do you think I should apply to work at Lydia's Hungarian Strudel Shop?? 🤔\n\nI had SUCH a great time learning how to roll... PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — A Parma Heights woman driving home from the grocery feels lucky to be alive after being caught in the middle of the storm. After Tuesday’s unexpected severe weather, many are coping with the fact that they don't have electricity. Some are using their local coffee shops or restaurants, while others are enjoying the weather at Wade Oval or Lakewood Park. For Alisa Brahaj, she is still reeling from the storm. “It just came in full force within seconds of it raining,” said Brahaj. In Parma Heights, Brahaj was on her way home from the grocery store, sitting at the red light, when she noticed the storm wall in the distance. Just seconds later, she was in the thick of it. “I’m waiting for the light to go green the light just goes out completely, power lines are falling trees are falling,” said Brahaj. Her dash camera video and cell phone captured the moments the storm passed over here. In her video, you see cars swerving off the road and the wind blowing over trees and power lines. View this post on Instagram A post shared by News 5 Cleveland (@news5cleveland) I really thought windows were going to break and you see everything with the debris spinning in front of me I was like my car is going to go,” said Brahaj marks of debris could still be found on her car “I just don’t think a lot of people think tornados can happen or any severe weather can happen in Cleveland But she takes it with a sense of relief that everyone is OK “I’m just thankful and nothing like a day to be out with everybody it kind of reminds me like centering myself and being like the little things matter,” said Brahaj The National Weather Service later confirmed that a tornado passed through Parma Heights during the storms