LOS ANGELES
A Pasadena man was sentenced to 135 months (over 11 years) in federal prison for stealing $1.3 million in COVID-era unemployment and disability benefits using stolen identities and funneling the money to Nigeria to fund a luxury resort, officials announced Thursday.
Abiola Femi Quadri, 43, a Nigerian national with U.S. permanent residency obtained through a sham marriage, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge George H. Wu also ordered him to pay $1.35 million in restitution and a $35,000 fine.
From 2021 until his arrest at LAX in September 2024—while preparing to fly to Nigeria—Quadri submitted over 100 fraudulent benefit applications to California and Nevada agencies, according to authorities.
He used ATMs to withdraw cash and transferred at least $500,000 overseas.
The funds financed the construction of the Oyins International Resort in Nigeria, featuring a 120-room hotel, nightclub, and shopping mall. Quadri concealed his ownership of the property on court financial disclosures.
Investigators also found on his phone 17 fake checks totaling over $3.3 million, and food-aid debit cards meant for developmentally disabled children connected to his California daycare business, Rock of Peace.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California EDD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Brown prosecuted.