The U.S. government has arrested 43-year-old Nigerian socialite, Femi Quadri, for allegedly stealing the identities of about 91 American citizens to defraud them of COVID-19 and disability benefits.
He was apprehended around 9:30 a.m. on September 20, just hours before he was set to fly to Dubai on a one-way ticket. U.S. security agents believed he planned to escape and hide there, avoiding detection from U.S. authorities.
According to a criminal complaint filed on September 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Mr. Quadri is accused of running a fraudulent scheme by stealing the Personal Identifying Information (PII), including Social Security Numbers (SSNs), of approximately 91 Americans. Between 2020 and 2024, he allegedly used this information to collect disability, unemployment, and COVID-19 benefits.
The complaint outlines how the California Employment Development Department (EDD) issued debit cards to eligible unemployed and disabled individuals. Mr. Quadri is accused of applying for benefits in their names, using falsified certifications from real doctors whose details he also stole.
The EDD sent out debit cards loaded with funds and allowed unlimited withdrawals for claimants. Each card came with a sticker containing activation instructions. To activate the card, recipients had to call a number and provide their Social Security Number (SSN).
The card, valid for three years, was issued by Bank of America and funded by the EDD for beneficiaries. It had no restrictions on daily purchases or withdrawals.
An EDD investigator discovered that Mr. Quadri defrauded 19 disabled Americans by stealing their identities to claim over $200,000 in benefits.
“EDD Investigator Ivant Romo reviewed approximately 19 DI (Disability Insurance) claims filed online under approximately 19 different identities for an approximate actual loss of $210,156 and a potential loss of approximately $436,488,” the criminal complaint stated.
Mr Romo found it suspicious that the claimants’ occupation “was often the same, among other commonalities.”
After reviewing 72 Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims, the investigator found that Mr. Quadri had defrauded the U.S. government of $881,192 by using the stolen identities of 72 unemployed Americans.
Surveillance footage of some of the withdrawals was analyzed, confirming that Mr. Quadri, on multiple occasions, withdrew cash using debit cards issued to different EDD beneficiaries.
Bank of America, which managed the EDD benefits, provided footage showing that Mr. Quadri used EDD debit cards to make withdrawals under various accounts for different individuals.
Investigators discovered that the photos of the people who were issued the EDD debit cards did not match the image of the person making the withdrawals.
Mr. Romo, the investigator, identified Mr. Quadri as the individual responsible for withdrawing EDD funds from at least 38 accounts, including those belonging to Michelle Davey, Ronald Tung, and Douglas Cost.
Images from Mr. Quadri’s social media accounts also showed him wearing some of the same outfits seen in the footage of the cash withdrawals.
Mr. Romo further observed Mr. Quadri on the streets and identified him as the same individual responsible for making numerous fraudulent withdrawals.
Dr. Lai, the medical practitioner who was listed as certifying some of the documents Mr. Quadri used in his scams, told investigators he did not authorize any of the claims bearing his signature.
Mr. Romo also spoke with Ms. Davey, one of the victims, who confirmed she had never applied for disability insurance benefits, even though Mr. Quadri had collected $7,366 in her name. She also revealed that the Nigerian fraudster had correctly obtained her date of birth and Social Security Number (SSN).
In another instance, Mr. Quadri withdrew $19,500 using Mr. Cost’s identity. Mr. Cost informed authorities that he had never filed for unemployment insurance and had not authorized anyone to do so on his behalf.
The U.S. government identified Roland Iwhiwhu Otega as Mr. Quadri’s co-conspirator. However, five days after investigators searched his apartment in August 2023, Mr. Otega fled to Lagos, Nigeria, leaving the U.S. Incriminating materials related to identity theft were found in his apartment, and investigators established a link between him and Mr. Quadri, as they shared at least one victim, Rosaly Ferrer.
Mr. Quadri’s bank records with JP Morgan revealed he had wired over $500,000 to four Chinese companies: Prinx Chengshan Shandong Tire Co Ltd (Agricultural Bank of China), Eping City Hengxin Trading Co Ltd (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China), Prachi Exports (Yes Bank Ltd), and Shouguang Firemax Tyre Co Ltd (Jinan Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd).
Since Mr. Quadri is a permanent resident but not a U.S. citizen, he is set to be deported once convicted. Authorities are concerned about his high risk of fleeing, especially given that his co-conspirator has already escaped, and Mr. Quadri has no family in the U.S. but owns property in Nigeria.
The scam, which exceeded $10,000, qualifies as an aggravated felony, which carries severe penalties, including the loss of his immigration status.
Mr. Quadri is scheduled for arraignment on October 29 before Judge Jean P. Rosenbluth. In the meantime, he remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
He faces charges of aggravated identity theft, as well as bank and wire fraud.
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