A Nigerian-born United States citizen, Oladapo Fadugba is facing up to 27 years in a US federal prison following his indictment for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and making false statements during his naturalisation process.
The charges were announced in a statement issued by the US Attorney for the District of Florida, Gregory Kehoe, on Wednesday.
According to the indictment, Fadugba allegedly orchestrated a $690,000 fraud scheme involving funds belonging to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Between October 2020 and July 2023, he is accused of diverting reimbursement payments meant for a major local healthcare provider into personal and business accounts under his control.
The indictment states that Fadugba used another individual’s identity to facilitate the illegal transfers. He allegedly wrote cheques to himself and associated businesses and then moved the funds across multiple bank accounts to obscure the source and destination of the money.
In addition to financial crimes, Fadugba is charged with lying under oath during his US naturalisation process.
Prosecutors claim he falsely declared that he had never committed a criminal offense for which he had not been arrested. This false statement forms the basis of the perjury charge related to his citizenship.
The US Department of Justice confirmed that the indictment includes a notice of intent to seek forfeiture of $400,000 which represents the estimated proceeds of the alleged criminal activity.
If convicted on all counts, Fadugba faces a maximum sentence of 27 years in federal prison.
US Attorney Gregory Kehoe emphasized that an indictment is merely a formal accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case highlights continued scrutiny by US authorities on immigration-related fraud and financial crimes, particularly those involving federal funds. Legal proceedings are ongoing as federal prosecutors pursue full accountability in the matter.
