FBI arraigns Nigerian man, Sakiru Ambali, over attempt to st£al $25 million in U.S. benefits; faces 30-year imprisonment

FBI has arraigned Nigerian man, Sakiru Ambali, over attempt to st£al $25 million in U.S. benefits; faces 30-year imprisonment.

Lawl and Ambali allegedly filed over 2,300 fraud¥lent income tax returns seeking over $7.1 million in tax refunds. The IRS caught most of the fra¥d and paid only about $30,000 in fraud¥lent refunds.

The co-conspirators also attempted to use the stolen American identities for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to defraud the Small Business Administration.

According to the indictment, the co-conspirators had the proceeds of their fra¥d sent to cash cards or to
“money mules” who transferred the funds according to instructions given by the co-conspirators. They also allegedly used stolEn identities to open bank accounts and have the money deposited directly into those accounts for their use.

Lawl and Ambali are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fra¥d, ten counts of wire fra¥d and six counts of aggravated identity theft.
Lawl remains in Canada, pending extradition. The conspiracy and wire fra¥d counts are p¥nishable by up to 30 years in prison.