Senate Ethics Chair Who Suspended Natasha Akpoti, Neda Imasuen, Disbarred for Life in New York Over Fraud

Neda Imasuen, chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, who recently led the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has been permanently disbarred from practicing law in New York over a multimillion-dollar fraud involving a client he failed to represent. The development casts a long shadow over Mr Imasuen’s role in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber, particularly his involvement in sanctioning a fellow lawmaker.

According to documents published by Peoples Gazette, Mr Imasuen was disbarred by the Grievance Committee of the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts of New York after he collected substantial legal fees from a client, Daphne Shyfield, and then disappeared without making any court appearance on her behalf. The disbarment decision, issued on May 10, 2010, cited Mr Imasuen’s refusal to participate in disciplinary proceedings and his failure to respond to multiple petitions.

Court officials confirmed that Mr Imasuen not only ignored attempts to investigate his misconduct but also fled to Nigeria with the stolen funds. His name was subsequently struck off the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law in the state, with an explicit order barring him from practicing law in any capacity within New York.

Despite this serious professional misconduct, Mr Imasuen returned to Nigeria where he built a political career. He won the Edo South senatorial seat in 2023 on the platform of the Labour Party and was appointed chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics—a role that ironically places him at the forefront of legislative discipline and public accountability.

His past has resurfaced amid controversy over his handling of a sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Mr Imasuen initially dismissed the petition on procedural grounds, calling it “dead on arrival,” only to later accept it following a resubmission with additional signatures. Shortly after, his committee recommended her suspension, a move many have linked to political retaliation and questioned on ethical grounds.

Mr Imasuen did not respond to requests for comment on his disbarment. His case reflects a broader pattern among some Nigerian politicians who face legal consequences abroad and return home to seek political office using ill-gotten wealth. He joins a list that includes prominent figures like Femi Gbajabiamila, a former speaker and current chief of staff to the president, who also lost his U.S. law licence over financial misconduct.