ORLANDO, Fla. — A Filipino native is indicted for wire fraud in Orlando and faces a possible conviction of up to 20 years in federal prison.
The indictment alleges that Ken-ichi Larroza Hatakama, a 36-year-old, embedded malicious code into the computer systems of Victim Company (VC), rerouting over $500,000 intended for VC’s partners to fraudulent PayPal accounts under his control.
According to the state attorneys’ offices, an indictment is a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal laws. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Additionally, the United States plans to forfeit $562,569.37, which are believed to be the proceeds of the offense.
As stated in the indictment, Hatakama worked from home for VC, helping with their computer coding. During this time, he allegedly inserted malicious code that rerouted payments to accounts he controlled.
This scheme reportedly allowed him to steal over $500,000 from VC. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
The legal proceedings will decide whether Hatakama is guilty of the charges, with major financial and legal consequences at risk.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
