A Nigerian national, Yomi Olayeye, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a $10 million unemployment fraud scheme in the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts disclosed that Olayeye, 40, was detained on August 13, 2024, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.
Olayeye, also known as “Sabbie,” faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges relate to his alleged participation in a fraudulent scheme that targeted COVID-19 pandemic assistance programs between March and July 2020.
According to federal prosecutors, Olayeye and his co-conspirators used stolen personal information to file fraudulent unemployment claims in several states, including Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Indiana. They allegedly obtained more than $1.5 million in benefits from at least $10 million worth of applications.
The indictment further alleges that the fraudsters used U.S.-based IP addresses to mask their connection to Nigeria and transferred the proceeds into Bitcoin. Olayeye is set to appear in federal court in Boston following his initial appearance in New York.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, forfeiture, and restitution.
