By Our Foreign Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A United States District Court has sentenced a 34-year-old indigene of Ogun State, Adepoju Babatunde Salako, to six and a half years in prison for his involvement in a multi-million dollar fraud that targeted COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.
According to a statement released on Thursday by the United States Department of Justice, Salako, a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was handed a 78-month federal prison term after pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
The judgment brings to a close a string of fraudulent activities that saw Salako and his accomplices steal over $5 million from economic relief programmes designed to assist struggling Americans during the global health crisis.
Court documents revealed that the Ogun State-born convict participated actively in the scheme throughout most of 2021. He and his co-conspirators exploited the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programme, and unemployment programmes in 30 different states.
In a sophisticated operation, Salako and two accomplices used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain loans and benefits. The statement detailed how they submitted fake applications for EIDL loans and wrongfully claimed unemployment benefits using the personal information of identity theft victims.
Salako’s specific role in the conspiracy involved acting as a money launderer. He received proceeds from both romance scam victims and government agencies, funnelling the bulk of the funds to China and Nigeria in exchange for a fee of approximately 25 per cent of the transactions.
As part of his plea agreement, Salako not only admitted to the charges in Colorado but also agreed to plead guilty to seven additional counts of wire fraud in the District of Alaska. The court has ordered him to pay $2,581,002.50 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
Reacting to the sentencing, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado, Peter McNeilly, emphasised the gravity of the offence and the government’s commitment to justice.
“Mr Salako and his criminal associates exploited innocent people and stole millions of dollars from American taxpayers,” McNeilly said. “We are committed to finding and prosecuting fraudsters and, as this sentence demonstrates, these criminals will pay a high price for their actions.”
Matthew Modafferi, the Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, echoed this sentiment, warning that the punishment serves as a deterrent to others.
“The sentence imposed on the defendant stands as a clear warning that serious consequences await anyone who exploits government resources to commit criminal acts,” the statement added.
The case highlights the global reach of pandemic-related fraud investigations, as US authorities continue to track down and prosecute individuals who sought to illegally benefit from emergency relief measures.
