Nigerian hacker chop 70-month jail term for US over COVID-19 fraud

Bamidele Muraina don become di latest Nigerian to go jail for America for manipulating goment documents to defraud di kontri.

Muraina, age 35 chop seventy months imprisonment for US federal prison for unemployment fraud and tax fraud scheme.

Na U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II sentence di Nigeria and im accomplice, Gabriel Kalembo wey from Zambia.

Known as Dele Ewe by im friends, Muraina tiff money from programs wey US goment create to assist American workers and families wey dey try manage life sake of di COVID-19 pandemic, di US Department of Justice (DoJ) tok.

How Bamidele Muraina commit di crime

According to di Department of Justice Bamidele Muraina tif up to $2.6million through hacking.

Di prosecutors say im begin tiff di money small-small aft aim successfully hack into di website of US agencies wey dey for unemployment insurance.

Investigation also reveal sey di Nigerian use im Zambian friend, Gabriel Kalembo launder di money.

"Bamidele Muraina engage for conspiracy to defraud di Employment Security Department of Washington State ("ESD-WA") by filing dozens of fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in di names of identity theft victims who were not entitled to such benefits.

As part of di same conspiracy, Gabriel Kalembo and his conspirators launder di unlawfully obtained UI benefits from ESD-WA by purchasing and den later negotiating hundreds of money orders.

"These criminals shamelessly tiff pipo hard-earned tax returns and money meant to help families during the pandemic," Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, wey dey oversee Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations for Georgia and Alabama tok.

As part of im sentencing di Judge order Muraina to pay $561,125.62 in restitution.