A Nigerian woman based in the United States (US), Funke Iyanda, is facing a 10-year imprisonment following her indictment in a $40,980 unemployment benefit fraud.
A statement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said Iyanda was an illegal resident in the US, and was not entitled to the benefit for which she filed claims.
DOJ noted that between May 2020 and May 2021, the suspect applied for unemployment benefit scheme using another person’s identity and received a sum of $40,980.
“A Nigerian national residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of theft of government property. The one-count Indictment named Funke Iyanda, 43, with no U.S. status, as the sole defendant.
“According to the Indictment, from May 27, 2020, to May 24, 2021, Iyanda prepared and submitted a false application and claim for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in the name of another person to the PA Department of Labour, for which Iyanda received approximately $40,980 in unemployment benefits to which Iyanda was not legally entitled,” the statement said.
It added that if found guilty, the suspect could be sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The statement acknowledged that the suspect was considered innocent until proved otherwise by the court.
“The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
“Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence would be based on the seriousness of the offence and the defendant’s prior criminal history, if any.
“An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” it added.
, Funke Iyanda, is facing a 10-year imprisonment following her indictment in a $40,980){kind=link}