U.S. authorities have arrested Femi Quadri, a 43-year-old Nigerian socialite, for allegedly stealing the identities of 91 American citizens to fraudulently collect their disability and COVID-19 benefits. Quadri was apprehended on September 20, just hours before he was scheduled to fly to Dubai, where authorities believed he intended to escape prosecution.
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According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Quadri is accused of using stolen personal identifying information (PII), including Social Security Numbers (SSNs), to apply for unemployment and disability benefits between 2020 and 2024. He allegedly targeted vulnerable citizens by falsifying certifications from real doctors and applying for benefits in their names through the California Employment Development Department (EDD).
The EDD issued debit cards to eligible claimants, which Quadri activated using stolen information. An investigation revealed that Quadri used these cards to withdraw large sums of money, defrauding over 19 disabled individuals and causing a loss of over $200,000. In addition, Quadri was found to have filed 72 unemployment insurance claims under stolen identities, netting nearly $900,000 in fraudulent benefits.
Surveillance footage provided by Bank of America, where the EDD benefits were deposited, showed Quadri withdrawing cash using the debit cards of different beneficiaries. Investigators matched the footage with images from Quadri’s social media accounts, identifying him as the individual making the withdrawals.
Further investigation linked Quadri to a co-conspirator, Roland Iwhiwhu Otega, who fled to Nigeria after authorities searched his apartment in August 2023. Evidence of identity theft was found in Otega’s residence, and both men were connected through shared victims.
Quadri faces charges of aggravated identity theft, bank fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, he is likely to be deported due to his status as a permanent resident alien. He is scheduled for arraignment on October 29, 2024, and remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
The case highlights the U.S. government’s ongoing efforts to combat fraud related to the misuse of federal benefits, including insurance and disability programs.
