A Nigerian man, Newton Ofioritse Jemide, has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison by a United States District Court for his involvement in an $8 million disaster relief fraud scheme.
The 47-year-old, who was extradited from France to the US earlier this year, was found guilty of conspiring with others to fraudulently obtain federal disaster benefits intended for American citizens affected by wildfires between 2016 and 2017.
According to US authorities, Jemide and his accomplices used stolen identities to open Green Dot accounts, through which they accessed federal benefits, including funds disbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Investigations revealed that the syndicate operated across Nigeria, the US, and other locations, directing purchases of hundreds of debit cards, which were later loaded with disaster relief funds using stolen personal information.
The US Department of Justice stated, “Jemide and his conspirators instructed others on how to withdraw the fraudulent funds, often using different stores and banks to avoid detection. They also concealed their identities by making withdrawals through other individuals and corporate entities.”
Following his guilty plea, Jemide was handed a 41-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $520,431 in restitution. The court also imposed a forfeiture order of $311,036.
US District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow delivered the ruling, describing the crime as a calculated exploitation of vulnerable Americans during times of disaster.
