Three Nigerian men living in the United States have been sentenced to prison for their role in a COVID-19 unemployment benefits fraud scheme that stole over half a million dollars.
According to the US Department of Justice, Kamaldeen Karaole, Stephen Olamigoke, and Johnson Omodusonu were involved in stealing $520,910 by using stolen information to claim unemployment benefits on debit cards that belonged to other people. The scam took place in 2020 during the height of the pandemic.
The trio, aged in their early twenties, worked with others outside the US to file false claims using 168 Unemployment Insurance debit cards. They then withdrew cash from ATMs, especially in Indianapolis, often making multiple withdrawals in a short time. In total, they made 529 withdrawals across several states including California, Arizona, and Nevada.
Court documents showed that none of the cards were theirs. They all belonged to real individuals whose personal information was stolen. The men faced charges including conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
Karaole, 24, pleaded guilty to several charges and was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, plus two years of supervised release. Olamigoke, 23, received two and a half years in prison and two years supervised release. Omodusonu, 24, was sentenced to two years in prison with two years supervised release. They were each ordered to repay the full amount stolen. Olamigoke also agreed to be deported to Nigeria after completing his sentence.
Authorities are expected to pursue others involved both in the US and abroad, as investigations continue. Recovering stolen funds and preventing future scams remain priorities.
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