News
FBI arraigns Nigerian, Sakiru Ambali, over $25m wire fraud
Nigerian citizen extradited from Germany to face charges over attempt to steal $25 million in U.S. benefits.
Allegedly successfully obtained over $2.4 million in pandemic unemployment benefits
Tacome – One of two Nigerian citizens residing in Canada, who allegedly defrauded the pandemic unemployment benefit programs in multiple states, made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma this afternoon at 2:00 PM.
Sakiru Olanrewaju Ambali, 45, was arrested in February 2023, in Frankfurt, Germany, as he traveled back to Canada from Nigeria. Ambali had been detained in Germany pending extradition. He arrived in the Western District of Washington yesterday afternoon.
Ambali and codefendant Fatiu Ismaila Lawal, 45, are accused of using the stolen identities of thousands of Americans to submit over 1,700 claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to over 25 different states, including Washington State.
According to the indictment, Lawal and Ambali used the stolen personal information of thousands of U.S. taxpayers and residents to file fraudulent claims for COVID-19 pandemic assistance and false tax returns seeking refunds. In total, the claims sought approximately $25 million, but the conspirators obtained approximately $2.4 million, primarily from pandemic unemployment benefits.
The co-conspirators allegedly submitted claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to more than 25 states including New York, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, California, and Washington. Using 13 Google accounts they filed some 900 claims. The co-conspirators also allegedly established four internet domain names that they then used for fraud – creating some 800 different email addresses that were used for fraud.
Lawal and Ambali allegedly filed over 2,300 fraudulent income tax returns seeking over $7.1 million in tax refunds. The IRS caught most of the fraud and paid only about $30,000 in fraudulent refunds.
The co-conspirators also attempted to use the stolen American identities for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to defraud the Small Business Administration.
According to the indictment, the co-conspirators had the proceeds of their fraud sent to cash cards or to “money mules” who transferred the funds according to instructions given by the co-conspirators. They also allegedly used stolen identities to open bank accounts and have the money deposited directly into those accounts for their use.
Lawal and Ambali are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, ten counts of wire fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft.
Lawal remains in Canada, pending extradition.
The conspiracy and wire fraud counts are punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison to run consecutive to any other prison time imposed in the case.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The National Unemployment Fraud Task Force provided a lead on this case to the investigative team in Western Washington. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Also contributing to the investigation were Washington State Employment Security Division (ESD), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Small Business Administration (SBA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy Chang and Seth Wilkinson of the Western District of Washington. DOJ’s Office of International Affairs is assisting.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.
The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.
What is the Dollar to Naira Exchange rate at the black market also known as the parallel market (Aboki fx)?
See the black market Dollar to Naira exchange rate for yesterday 11th September, below. You can swap your dollar for Naira at these rates.
The exchange rate for a dollar to naira at Lagos Parallel Market (Black Market) players buy a dollar for N1525 and sell at N1550 yesterday 12th September 2025, according to sources at Bureau De Change (BDC). …CLICK LINK TO CONTINUE READING
Amidst swirling rumors surrounding Oseloka Obi, the son of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for 2023, a new twist has emerged regarding persistent allegations about his gender identity.
In response to a flurry of speculation, Oseloka has taken a stand against the viral claims connecting him to homosexuality, which were sparked by the circulation of photographs featuring him alongside Kent Okwesa, a British-Nigerian based in London. Click link to continue reading.
“We’ve lost two games in a row, it’s not good enough, it’s way too bad,” he said, speaking to Viaplay in Norway. “We need to figure it out, get back to winning ways.
Pep Guardiola’s side are in the bottom half of the Premier League table heading into the clash having lost back-to-back matches against Tottenham and Brighton before the international break. Click link to continue reading.
The General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi, has announced a series of changes to some of the long-standing rules of the church, saying many of them were never scriptural but were introduced for administrative purposes.
Pastor Kumuyi, widely regarded as one of the most influential church leaders in the world, is the founder of Deeper Life Bible Church, which began in 1973 as a small Bible study group in Lagos.
Over the decades, the ministry has grown into a global Christian movement. The Lagos headquarters alone attracts over 120,000 worshippers weekly, placing it among the five largest single congregations worldwide. In Nigeria, the church boasts more than one million members with over 5,000 branches, and a further 3,000 branches spread across Africa, Europe, and North America.
Speaking at the church 2025 Global Family and Marriage Conference, Pastor Kumuyi announced modifications to certain marriage rules that had long been regarded as doctrinal. He clarified that many of these practices were never rooted in the Bible but were merely administrative guidelines designed to provide structure.
One of the major changes is the cancellation of the restriction that prevented a lady from visiting her suitor before marriage. According to Kumuyi, intending couples may now visit each other during courtship, provided they are accompanied by an elder. The long-held six-month mandatory courtship period has also been scrapped. “We just felt you need some time to know one another. And then we said one month will be too short, two months too short. So, why not six months? But it is not from the Bible,” he said.
He stated the importance of Christians being able to distinguish between God’s commandments and church traditions.“As a Christian, you need to be so mature that you know the difference between the law of God and the principles in the church. Six months is all right, but it’s not something inflexible. If we change it to three months, we’re not changing the Bible, because six months is not in the Bible,”
Pastor Kumuyi also clarified the role of marriage committees in Deeper Life, noting that their purpose was to provide guidance and not to exercise authority beyond what is written in the scriptures. “There’s no marriage committee in the New Testament. We created it to help you, not because we can give you a chapter and a verse. It is church administration,” he stated.
These changes are seen by people as another step in the ongoing review of church practices that many members and outsiders have often considered too strict. Since founding the church has faced both admiration and criticism for its distinct doctrines. Some of its earlier beliefs and practices have either been misinterpreted or have since evolved:
Technology Use: The church, which once opposed television and modern gadgets, now embraces media and social platforms for evangelism.read the gospel.
Marriage Rules: Inter-church marriages are now accepted, provided the partner is from a Bible-believing church with a holy standard of living.
Dress Code: The church still emphasizes modesty, but women no longer have to tie scarves at all times, and men are not strictly bound to suits.
Medical Treatment: While rumors once suggested Deeper Life discouraged hospital visits, today members are encouraged to seek proper medical care when needed.
Christmas Celebrations: Although many members spend Christmas at church camps, the church has clarified that celebrating Christmas is not forbidden.
Other misconceptions, such as supposed food restrictions or claims that Pastor Kumuyi had relocated to the UK, have also been dispelled.
Through these reforms, Pastor Kumuyi is reinforcing his long-held belief that while order is necessary in the church, it must never be mistaken for scripture.
Source: City People
What is the Dollar to Naira Exchange rate at the black market also known as the parallel market (Aboki fx)?
See the black market Dollar to Naira exchange rate for yesterday 11th September, below. You can swap your dollar for Naira at these rates.
The exchange rate for a dollar to naira at Lagos Parallel Market (Black Market) players buy a dollar for N1530 and sell at N1550 yesterday 11th September 2025, according to sources at Bureau De Change (BDC). …CLICK LINK TO CONTINUE READING
The likelihood of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan entering the presidential race in 2027 is becoming increasingly apparent, particularly given the recent developments surrounding his potential candidacy.
Reports suggest that Jonathan is discreetly meeting with key political figures across the country, which adds to the anticipation surrounding his possible return to politics. Click link to continue reading.
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