A Nigerian national residing in California, Abiola Femi Quadri, has been sentenced to 135 months (11 years and three months) in a United States federal prison for defrauding California and Nevada out of over $1.3 million in pandemic-related unemployment and disability benefits.
Quadri, 43, was convicted for his role in a large-scale scheme that involved submitting more than 100 fraudulent applications using stolen identities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, he used part of the proceeds to fund the construction of a 120-room resort hotel in Nigeria, which includes a nightclub and shopping mall.
The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu. In addition to the prison term, Quadri was ordered to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a \$35,000 fine.
A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, released on Thursday by Public Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy, outlined the details of the case.
It revealed that Quadri, who is a Nigerian citizen, gained U.S. permanent residency through what he admitted was a “fake wedding”, as described in messages to a woman who was not his legal spouse.
Quadri pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud on January 2, 2025.
According to prosecutors, Quadri accessed the fraudulent funds through ATM withdrawals from 2021 until his arrest in September 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was preparing to board a flight to Nigeria.
Authorities said he transferred at least $500,000 overseas during the period.
Court filings stated that Quadri failed to disclose his ownership of the Oyins International resort project during court-mandated financial disclosures.
Investigators also found 17 counterfeit checks totalling more than $3.3 million on Quadri’s phone, along with messages discussing how to negotiate the checks. Some of the checks were linked to shell companies registered under aliases used by Quadri.
Further investigations revealed that Quadri operated a business named *Rock of Peace* in Altadena, California, which was paid by the state to provide daycare services for children with developmental disabilities.
During a search of his home, law enforcement agents recovered government-issued food-aid debit cards meant for children under his care.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Employment Development Department’s Investigation Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section led the prosecution.
