Awaiting EXTRADITION:
Nigerian based Notorious Yahoo King, CHUKWUEMEKA ONYEGBULA alias ‘Phillip Carter’ Steals $2.5million funds from Washington DC, 16 States in America…files 253 fraudulent unemployment claims
*Detained Port-Harcourt’s software worker is an employee of Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Nigeria Limited
*‘Chukwuemeka Onyegbula received millions of dollars on claims from several states in United States, deceived federal Small Business Administration to pay out additional funds in COVID-19 economic disaster’- Seattle U.S. Attorney’s Office
*BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN Foreign Editor
HE’S known as a flamboyant Nigerian in the ever, busy Port Harcourt metropolis. He drives sleek cars, and everyone thinks he’s doing a legal job as an Information Technology (I.T.) expert. Not once did it occur to anyone that the grass is not green as it seems on the career of CHUKUEMEKA ONYEGBULA, an experienced software expert whose business name is ‘Phillip Carter’ when perpetuating businesses to defraud unknown members of the public and international companies. Onyegbula has been detained, arrested by Nigerian law enforcement agencies, while awaiting extradition to United States where he has been indicted for stealing $2.5 million belonging to 17 states in America from unemployment benefit.
Onyegbula, using the name “Phillip Carter,” was linked to at least 253 fraudulent filings for unemployment benefits. This Nigerian IT worker charged in unemployment fraud in Washington, 16 other states, indicted on federal wire fraud and identity theft charges, after authorities said he and his co-conspirators filed false claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in 17 states, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in Seattle.
Onyegbula has been detained in Nigeria, but prospects for his extradition to the U.S. were unclear. Onyegbula works for Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Nigeria Limited, going by Seattle U.S. Attorney’s Office. Court documents did not list an attorney who might comment on his behalf.
Washington, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin paid out a total of nearly $290,000 on claims related to the case. Additionally, the federal Small Business Administration paid out $54,000 in COVID-19 economic disaster claims filed by Onyegbula and his co-conspirators, prosecutors said.
Washington state was severely victimized by fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits. It likely paid out more than $647 million in such fraudulent claims, though $370 million was recovered, according to state officials.
Onyegbula is the second Nigerian national charged with such fraud in U.S. District Court for western Washington. Abidemi Rufai, 42, a suspended Nigerian government official, has been accused of stealing $350,000 from Washington. He also sought to bilk the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $1.6 million, according to federal prosecutors.
Rufai was arrested May 14 as he tried to travel from New York to Nigeria. Federal prosecutors in western Washington have been seeking to make sure he remains in custody pending trial, saying he poses a severe flight risk, is facile with fake identities, and that he’s unlikely to ever be extradited if he makes it back to Nigeria.
A hearing is set for Friday to determine whether Rufai might be released pending trial. In a court filing Wednesday, assistant U.S. attorneys said that a recorded conversation between Rufai and his brother revealed that Rufai did not really know a woman who had offered to act as his custodian should he be released.
The recorded conversation also suggested that Rufai had significantly more money than he led the court to believe, prosecutors said.
Rufai’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Thursday.
CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens. To continually enjoy free access to the best investigative journalism in Nigeria, we are requesting of you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavor.
By contributing to NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all without fear or favor.
Your donation is voluntary — please decide how much and how often you want to give. For offline donation, email: letters@nigeriastandardnewspaper.com or call +2348037128048 (Nigeria) or +16825834890 (United States of America)
donation
