A Nigerian woman residing illegally in the United States, Funke Iyanda, 43, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of theft of government property, risking a potential 10-year prison sentence.
The Guardian reports that the indictment, announced by the US Department of Justice on Thursday, March 20, 2025, arose from her involvement in a $40,980 unemployment benefit fraud scheme.
According to the statement from the Justice Department, Iyanda, who has no legal status in the US, exploited the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) programme by submitting a fraudulent claim using another person’s identity.
The statement added that the illicit activity reportedly took place between May 27, 2020, and May 24, 2021, during which Iyanda applied for and received unemployment benefits she was not entitled to claim.
According to the statement, Iyanda prepared and submitted a false application to the Pennsylvania Department of Labour, ultimately pocketing approximately $40,980.
The one-count indictment identifies Iyanda as the sole defendant in the case. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
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The Justice Department emphasized that under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the final sentence would depend on the severity of the offense and any prior criminal history Iyanda may have. The statement also noted that an indictment is merely an accusation, and Iyanda remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Nigerian pleads guilty to $158,400 fraud in US Court
In a separate case, another Nigerian national, Lotenna Chisom Umeadi, 35, has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in a US federal court, admitting his role in an international cyber fraud scheme that defrauded a New York-based company of $158,400.
The announcement was made jointly by U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), on March 21, 2025.
Court documents reveal that Umeadi orchestrated a sophisticated scheme targeting a produce export company in Sri Lanka and a produce importer in Plattsburgh, New York.
Umeadi confessed to purchasing a compromised webpage from a hacker, which he used to illegally obtain email passwords of unsuspecting individuals. Posing as a legitimate representative of the Sri Lankan company, he sent fraudulent emails to the Plattsburgh importer, instructing them to redirect payments owed to the exporter into bank accounts in the United Kingdom that he controlled.
The scheme proved successful in 2016 when the New York importer wired two payments totalling $158,400 to the UK accounts, unaware of the deception.
Following an extensive investigation by US authorities, Umeadi was apprehended in Germany on September 1, 2024, shortly after arriving from Nigeria. He was subsequently extradited to the United States to face charges.
During his guilty plea, Umeadi admitted to the full scope of his actions, acknowledging the financial harm caused to the victims. He now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 21, 2025, before a U.S. District Court judge, who will determine the final penalty based on statutory guidelines, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other relevant factors. Upon completion of his prison term, Umeadi will be subject to removal from the United States.
