Nicolas Mondani Oleko, 32, appeared in federal court in the District of North Dakota Monday for his arraignment. According to the indictment, the scheme targeted an auction business in Asheville, North Carolina, that had sold furniture, silver, and historical artifacts on behalf of an 80-year-old art dealer. After the auction, the business sent a settlement statement to the dealer by email. On December 21, 2023, the auction business wired $113,050 to what it believed was the dealer’s account. Investigators also found that a search on Oleko’s phone on the day the money arrived included queries for the auction business’s net worth and “15% of 100k.”