A U.S. federal court has sentenced Newton Ofioritse Jemide, a France-based Nigerian, to three years and five months in prison for his involvement in a multi-million-dollar disaster relief fraud.
Jemide was found guilty of participating in a scheme that defrauded the U.S. government of $8 million in funds intended for victims of natural disasters.
The sentencing was handed down on Tuesday by Judge Deborah K. Chasanow of the U.S. District Court, bringing to a close a years-long investigation into a transnational identity theft operation.
Jemide, 47, was extradited from France to the United States after being implicated in a large-scale conspiracy to fraudulently obtain disaster assistance funds meant for American citizens affected by wildfires between 2016 and 2017.
His extradition and subsequent conviction underscore growing international efforts to clamp down on cyber and financial crimes that transcend national borders.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Jemide and his accomplices exploited the identities of American citizens to open accounts with Green Dot, a financial service provider.
These accounts were then used to file bogus applications for federal benefits, particularly from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funds, intended to support victims of natural disasters, were diverted into prepaid debit cards controlled by the fraudsters.
The scheme was orchestrated across multiple countries, with Jemide and other conspirators in Nigeria instructing U.S.-based operatives to purchase hundreds of Green Dot cards.
These cards were later registered using the stolen personal information of American citizens. Once activated, federal agencies unknowingly deposited relief funds into these fraudulent accounts.
Authorities revealed that the scam caused millions in losses to U.S. government programs aimed at assisting vulnerable populations during times of crisis. While Jemide’s sentencing marks a significant milestone in the case, law enforcement agencies continue to investigate and pursue other individuals connected to the fraud.
This case adds to a growing list of financial crimes involving cross-border networks exploiting global vulnerabilities, prompting calls for increased international collaboration in tackling such offenses.