Nigerian admits guilt in $415,874 US unemployment insurance fraud case

A 60-year-old Nigerian national, Akinpelumi Olawale Oyewusi, has pleaded guilty in a US federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Oyewusi, of Hyattsville, Maryland, and his co-conspirators used stolen identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims across multiple states between September 2020 and March 2021, Punch reports. He was directly linked to over $415,874 in losses, personally pocketing at least $25,000. Prosecutors said he withdrew funds via ATMs using debit cards issued to victims. Sentencing is scheduled for December 3.