One Bamidele Muraina, said to be an indigene of Oyo State, has been jailed in the United States of America for cyber fraud, involving hacking into tax preparation firms and filing of fraudulent unemployment benefit claims and tax returns.
According to a statement by the Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia, Muraina was sentenced to five years and 10 months’ imprisonment, to be served at the Federal Prison in Atlanta.
The 35-year-old was tried before U.S. District Judge William Ray II, who also ordered him to pay $561,125.62 in restitution.
Muraina, alongside one Gabriel Kalembo, a previously convicted fraudster, was said to have used stolen personal identifiable information and laundered fraudulent assets.
“These defendants stole funds from programmes meant to assist American workers and families seeking to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners were essential to disrupting a sophisticated network of criminals and bringing their leaders to justice,” said acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine.
According to Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court showed that between January 29, 2018 and through April, 2020, Muraina hacked into multiple tax preparation and accounting firms located in several states, including a Brunswick, Georgia-based accounting firm.
The charge sheet, titled, ‘Nigerian hacker and a repeat offender sentenced to federal prison for unemployment fraud and tax fraud scheme; states: Bamidele Muraina, a Nigerian national who hacked into tax preparation firms and filed fraudulent unemployment benefit claims and tax returns using stolen personally identifiable information, and Gabriel Kalembo, a previously convicted fraudster who laundered the fraudulent assets, have been sentenced to federal prison.
“These defendants stole funds from programs meant to assist American workers and families seeking to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “The collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners were essential to disrupting a sophisticated network of criminals and bringing their leaders to justice.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on us all. The enterprise created by these serial criminals further victimized our citizenry by robbing them of financial resources that were intended to help them,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Baisel, U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “Thanks to our judicial system, justice has been served.”
“Bamidele Muraina engaged in a conspiracy to defraud the Employment Security Department of Washington State (“ESD-WA”) by filing dozens of fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims who were not entitled to such benefits. As part of the same conspiracy, Gabriel Kalembo and his conspirators laundered the unlawfully obtained UI benefits from ESD-WA by purchasing and then later negotiating hundreds of money orders. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and state workforce agencies to protect the integrity of unemployment insurance benefit programs,” said Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“The sentencing of the defendants should serve as a deterrent to all who intend to exploit the COVID-relief programs that were designated to assist those in need during the pandemic,” said Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate anyone that steals federal funds to enrich themselves and have them held accountable under the law.”
