A Nigerian-born man, Oladapo Olalekan Fadugba, 40, has been indicted in the USA for allegedly stealing over $690,000 in authorities healthcare funds and mendacity below oath throughout his U.S. naturalization course of.
The U.S. Lawyer for the Center District of Florida, Gregory W. Kehoe, introduced the costs on Wednesday, detailing a federal indictment that features wire fraud, aggravated id theft, and making false statements in a naturalization software.
If convicted on all counts, Fadugba faces as much as 27 years in federal jail. The indictment additionally seeks the forfeiture of $400,000, allegedly representing the felony proceeds of the scheme.
Fraud Scheme Involving Veterans Affairs Funds
In accordance with the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace, Fadugba executed the scheme between October 30, 2020, and July 11, 2023, throughout which era he fraudulently redirected greater than $690,000 in Division of Veterans Affairs (VA) funds.
The cash, initially meant as reimbursement to a big healthcare supplier, was allegedly transferred into financial institution accounts managed by Fadugba.
Prosecutors say he then wrote checks to himself or to companies he was related to, laundering the stolen funds by means of a number of accounts.
The indictment additional alleges that Fadugba used the id of one other particular person to facilitate the unauthorized transfers.
Citizenship Fraud Allegation
Along with the monetary crimes, Fadugba is accused of creating false statements throughout his U.S. naturalization course of.
He reportedly declared, below oath, that he had by no means dedicated any offense for which he had not been arrested — a declare federal investigators now say was unfaithful.
Multi-Company Investigation
The case was investigated by a number of U.S. federal businesses, together with:
- The Division of Veterans Affairs – Workplace of Inspector Basic
- Homeland Safety Investigations
- The U.S. Treasury Workplace of Inspector Basic
- The U.S. Secret Service
Assistant U.S. Lawyer Rachel Lasry shall be prosecuting the case.
Fadugba, who’s now in federal custody, has not but entered a plea. If discovered responsible, he may additionally lose his U.S. citizenship as a consequence of the fraud allegations tied to his naturalization.
The case underscores rising scrutiny on monetary crimes tied to federal profit packages and the strict penalties for misrepresenting details throughout citizenship proceedings.