The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has declared a Nigerian-based fraudster, Chidozie Collins Obasi, wanted for defrauding the New York Government of more than $30 million
According to a statement from the U.S Attorney’s Office, United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Chidozie Collins Obasi, 29, was charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud, and 16 counts of wire fraud.
All of these stemmed from a complicated, evolving fraud scheme that initially targeted Americans through a spam email campaign offering illegitimate “work from home” jobs, and then during the COVID-19 pandemic shifted to targeting U.S. hospitals and medical systems by offering non-existent ventilators for sale beginning in March 2020
The scam finally shifted again in June 2020 to using the stolen identity information of American citizens to apply for and obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EID Loans”).
