A 43-year-old Nigerian socialite, Femi Quadri, has been taken into custody by the U.S. government for allegedly misusing the identities of around 91 American citizens in connection with COVID-19 and disability benefits claims.
People Gazatte reports that he was arrested around 9:30 a.m. on September 20, just hours before he was scheduled to fly on a one-way ticket to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
A criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on September 19 detailed Mr Quadri’s alleged fraudulent scheme, particularly how he stole the Personal Identifying information (PII), including Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of about 91 Americans to collect their disability, unemployment and COVID-19 benefits between 2020 and 2024.
Given the California Employment Development Department (EDD) gave debit cards to eligible unemployed and disabled citizens, Mr Quadri applied for benefits using their names and falsified certifications from real doctors, whose information he also st%le.
The EDD mailed loaded debit cards with unlimited withdrawals to claimants. The cards carried a sticker that contained the activation details. The recipient had to call a number to provide their SSN to activate it.
