Nigerian Man Jailed in U.S. for $1.3M COVID Scam, Built Luxury Resort with Stolen Funds in Nigeria

A Nigerian man, Abiola Femi Quadri, has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison in the United States for defrauding pandemic relief programs of more than $1.3 million. Quadri, 43, a permanent resident of Pasadena, California, used the stolen funds to construct a luxury 120-room resort hotel, nightclub, and shopping mall in Nigeria.

According to a statement released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Quadri was sentenced on July 10, 2023, to 135 months in prison by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a $35,000 fine. The court heard that Quadri submitted more than 100 fraudulent applications for unemployment and disability benefits in California and Nevada during the COVID-19 pandemic, using stolen identities to access the funds.

Quadri, who admitted to entering a “fake wedding” to obtain U.S. residency, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Investigators revealed that he withdrew the fraudulent benefits at ATMs from 2021 until his arrest in September 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was preparing to fly to Nigeria. Authorities said he wired at least $500,000 overseas during the scheme.

Among the projects he funded with the stolen money was Oyins International, a resort in Nigeria featuring a nightclub, shopping mall, and other upscale amenities. Quadri failed to disclose his ownership of the property during court-mandated financial disclosures. Investigators also found 17 counterfeit checks totaling more than $3.3 million stored on his phone, with evidence of negotiations related to the checks. Some were made out to shell businesses using names linked to Quadri’s aliases.

Further investigations revealed that Quadri operated a business in Altadena, Rock of Peace, which was paid by the state to provide daycare services for developmentally disabled children. When agents searched his home, they discovered misappropriated food-aid debit cards intended for the children.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit, and the California Employment Development Department’s Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.