25years old Nigerian faces 96 years imprisonment in US over alleged fraud
A 25-year-old man, Oluwanishola Jinadu, has been charged with theft, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false statements in the United States.
In February, Jinadu was charged with 17 counts of indictment before the US Magistrate Judge Brian McKay and faces up to 96 years in federal prison if found convicted.
According to a release by the Department of Justice, the acting US Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Chad Meacham, announced that the defendant defrauded the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefits Programme and the Paycheck Protection Programme.
The statement also revealed that the 25-year-old, who had overstayed his B1/B2 non-immigrant visa in the US, scammed the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, which provided supplemental unemployment insurance benefits to qualified claimants under the CARES Act, and unlawfully obtained unemployment benefits.
Records showed that he allegedly received stolen unemployment benefits into his bank accounts and applications were submitted in the names of at least five victims in Washington, Massachusetts, and Kansas without their authorisation.
Furthermore, he defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided forgivable loans to small businesses to cover payroll, rent, and certain other expenses pursuant to the CARES Act.
Jinadu was said to have received more than $65,000 in stolen PPP funds into his bank accounts.
