Chidozie Collins Obasi
Nigerian man defrauds U.S State of $31m, placed on FBI wanted list
Nigerian, identified as a 29-year-old Chidozie Collins Obasi, has been placed on the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Wanted List following a case of suspected wire fraud as he is alleged to have defrauded hospitals based in the New York State in the United States of $31 million.
The Nigerian man allegedly defrauded the hospitals in the procurement of medical supplies like non-existent ventilators for treatment of the Covid-19 patients.
A statement issued by US Department of Justice (DoJ), Friday, alleged that the man committed the fraud ‘from Nigeria with the help of co-conspirators abroad between September 2018 and June 2020.’
“The scheme alleged in the Indictment began in September 2018, with a spam email campaign that offered phony “work from home” jobs. When a person responded to the phony job offer, Obasi or a co-conspirator posed as a representative of a legitimate company, often a supposed medical equipment supplier based outside the United States, and offered the person a job as the company’s U.S. representative with responsibilities including collecting on outstanding invoices.
“In 2020, Obasi went further to pose as a ventilator salesman for an Indonesian medical supply company. Obasi allegedly convinced a medical equipment broker in the U.S. to broker sales of these non-existent ventilators, and ultimately deceived the State of New York into wiring more than $30 million for the purchase of ventilators that did not exist. He continued to target other potential customers with this same scam, including hospitals,” read the DoJ statement.
According to the indictment sheet, Obasi who is presently a fugitive and wanted by the United States, is being charged with “one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud and 16 counts of wire fraud”.
He faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $5,750,000 fine and would also be required to make full restitution of the more than $31,000,000 that he allegedly obtained by fraud if found guilty.
