WASHINGTON (BN24) — A Nigerian national extradited from France has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for his role in a large-scale disaster relief fraud scheme that defrauded the U.S. government of at least $8 million, the Department of Justice announced.
Newton Ofioritse Jemide, 47, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $520,431 in restitution and forfeit $311,036 to the U.S. government as part of the judgment.
Jemide, who lived in France before his extradition to the United States, pleaded guilty to his involvement in a conspiracy that exploited federal disaster aid programs, including relief funds disbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), between 2016 and 2017.
According to federal prosecutors, Jemide and his co-conspirators used stolen identities of U.S. citizens to fraudulently apply for emergency funds meant for victims of natural disasters such as wildfires. The scheme involved the purchase of hundreds of prepaid Green Dot debit cards, which were used to receive the falsely obtained government benefits.
The Department of Justice said the fraud ring operated across international borders, with members based in Nigeria and the U.S. working in concert. Conspirators in the U.S. were directed to acquire the debit cards, while their Nigerian counterparts registered them using the stolen personal information.
“FEMA dispersed $500 per fraudulent claim,” the Justice Department noted, adding that the cumulative theft reached at least $8 million. Jemide was responsible for coordinating the flow of information about available funds on the cards and instructing others on how to withdraw or launder the proceeds in exchange for a commission.
To conceal their activities, the fraudsters employed multiple tactics, including using third parties to make purchases and withdrawals, visiting numerous store and bank locations to avoid detection, and generating money orders payable to individuals or entities unconnected to their true identities.
Jemide’s sentencing marks the culmination of an international investigation and prosecution effort targeting a sophisticated fraud scheme that targeted U.S. federal aid programs intended to support vulnerable citizens during times of disaster.
