Crime

France-Based Nigerian Sentenced in US to 41 Months Imprisonment for $8 Million Disaster Fraud

A United States District Court has sentenced Newton Ofioritse Jemide, a France-based Nigerian, to 41 months in federal prison for his involvement in an $8 million disaster fraud scheme. The sentence was handed down by Judge Deborah K. Chasanow on Tuesday following Jemide’s guilty plea.

Jemide, 47, was extradited from France earlier this year after being found guilty of fraudulently obtaining federal disaster benefits intended for vulnerable US citizens. According to the US Department of Justice, Jemide and his co-conspirators, operating from both Nigeria and the United States, executed a coordinated identity theft operation targeting relief funds meant for victims of wildfires between 2016 and 2017.

The group used stolen identities of US citizens to open hundreds of Green Dot debit card accounts. These were then used to apply for federal aid, particularly from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Once benefits were deposited onto the cards, co-conspirators in the US were directed to cash out the funds using detailed instructions from Jemide and others based in Nigeria.

To obscure their involvement, the group employed tactics such as using intermediaries to make purchases and withdrawals, frequenting multiple store and bank locations, and issuing money orders under various names and corporate entities.

In total, FEMA disbursed approximately $500 per claim to the fraudulent accounts, culminating in a loss of at least $8 million. As part of his sentence, Jemide will also serve three years of supervised release. He has been ordered to pay $520,431 in restitution and forfeit an additional $311,036 to the US government.