ARRESTED:
Nigerian Fugitive, DANIEL JIBUNOR ‘smoked-out’ from hideout in Indiana for STEALING $197,000 Covid Unemployment Fund in FOUR states in America
…31-year-old pleads guilty to aggravated identity theft, wire fraud for defrauding California, Arizona, Nevada and Illinois
*Sentenced to THREE YEARS in Federal Prison for violating Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Face Deportation after Jail Term
*Caught at Bloomington Kroger store attempting to use a FAKE CREDIT CARD to purchase $1,850 in Western Union money orders
*Bloomington police conduct a thorough search on him, his vehicle and found two fake unemployment debit cards, two fake debit cards, a GoBank Green Dot card, $12,980 cash and 21 money orders totaling $19,540
*“Daniel Jibunor stole at least ten Americans’ identities and filed fraudulent unemployment claims in four states: California, Arizona, Nevada and Illinois. He would use the unemployment debit cards to make ATM withdrawals, purchase money orders at various businesses including Kroger, Walmart and the U.S. Post Office”-U.S. Dept. of Justice
*“At the height of the global pandemic, this defendant decided to steal emergency funds intended to be a vital lifeline for families in need. Stealing identities and relief money during a disaster is a despicable crime that merits serious punishment”– Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
*BY TIM KAYODE/SPECIAL Crime Correspondent in Nigeria & GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICA Senior Investigative Editor
HE IS A NIGERIAN. HIS NAMES ARE DANIEL JIBUNOR, resident in Indiana, United States. He is notorious in cyber crime and fraud just to maintain his ostentatious and luxurious lifestyle in America: driving big state-of-the-art-cars, wearing designers’ clothes and living in an elite mansion. All of these came crashing after this 31-year-old man was busted as he attempted to use a fake credit card to purchase a Western Union Money order of over $1,800. Upon arrest, and investigation, he pleaded guilty to having stolen a total amount of $197,000 in unemployment funds provided by the 2020 Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act from four different states in the United States.
Jibunor has been sentenced to three years in federal prison. And he is to be deported at the end of his jail term.
The U.S. The Attorney’s Office said that Jibunor stole at least ten people’s identities and filed fraudulent unemployment claims in four states: California, Arizona, Nevada and Illinois. Jibunor would use the unemployment debit cards to make ATM withdrawals and to purchase money orders at various businesses including Kroger, Walmart and the U.S. Post Office.
The ‘smooth-talker’ was eventually caught and arrested at a Bloomington Kroger where he’d been attempting to purchase $1,850 in Western Union money orders under a fake debit card. Bloomington police ended up searching his person and vehicle and found two fake unemployment debit cards, two fake debit cards, a GoBank Green Dot card, approximately $12,980 in cash and 21 money orders totaling $19,540.
In total, Jibunor stole at least $197,613 from the unemployment officers of California, Arizona, Nevada and Illinois as well as the federal government.
“At the height of the global pandemic, this defendant decided to steal emergency funds intended to be a vital lifeline for families in need,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
“Stealing identities and relief money during a disaster is a despicable crime that merits serious punishment,” he added. “The federal prison sentence imposed today demonstrates that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to finding the criminals who have defrauded COVID-19 emergency response programs and holding them accountable,” added Myers
As part of his sentencing, Jibunor was ordered to pay the full amount of stolen money back in restitution. He was also ordered to serve one year of probation following his release from federal prison.
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)
[pff-paystack id=
Comments