Newton Ofioritse Jemide, a 47-year-old Nigerian national extradited from France, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal disaster and government benefits. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced Jemide’s guilty plea on February 28.
Between 2016 and 2017, Jemide directed co-conspirators in the U.S. to purchase hundreds of Green Dot debit cards, which were registered using stolen personal information from victims of identity theft across the country. Jemide and his associates used encrypted messaging apps and other methods to coordinate their fraudulent activities.
The scheme targeted federal disaster relief programs following the devastating effects of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, as well as the California wildfires in 2017. Jemide and his group used stolen identities to file fraudulent claims for disaster assistance from FEMA and CNA, receiving $500 per claim onto the Green Dot debit cards. This resulted in fraudulent payouts totaling at least $8 million.
In addition to the FEMA fraud, Jemide and his co-conspirators used the stolen identities to submit false applications for Social Security benefits, IRS tax refunds, and other government payments. They notified others when funds became available on the cards and provided instructions for withdrawing the funds in exchange for a commission.
To further conceal their identities, the group used various store and bank locations for withdrawals, made money orders payable to third parties, and directed others to make purchases on their behalf. The elaborate operation allowed them to evade detection while illegally profiting from government funds.
Jemide now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, as confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
