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The United States of America has disclosed that an extradited Nigerian, Newton Ofioritse Jemide, has pleaded guilty to his role in a $6m fraud and now risks 30 years’ imprisonment if convicted.

PUNCH Metro gathered in a statement by the US Department of Justice on Wednesday that 47-year-old Jemide was extradited from France after he was found culpable of fraudulently obtaining federal grants in disregard for vulnerable US citizens.

The statement noted that Jemide alongside some conspirators stole the identities of US citizens to open Green Dot accounts which were used to request federal benefits meant for victims of wildfires between 2016 and 2017.

It read, “According to the guilty plea, in 2016 and 2017, Jemide and others from Nigeria directed co-conspirators living in the United States to purchase hundreds of Green Dot Debit Cards. Co-conspirators living in Nigeria then registered the cards with Green Dot using stolen personal information from identity theft victims around the United States.

“In 2017, following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and the California wildfires, Jemide, and other co-conspirators from Nigeria, used stolen personal information to apply online for FEMA and CNA benefits.

“FEMA dispersed $500 per claim on the Green Dot Debit Cards that co-conspirators purchased for a total of at least $8m.”

It added that the suspect alongside others also filed for social benefits using stolen identities.

The statement also noted that after the funds were credited to the cards, the suspect ordered his co-conspirators to withdraw the money at a certain per cent.





https://punchng.com/france-based-nigerian-extradited-to-us-risks-30-year-jail-term/