FBI declares Nigerian wanted for allegedly defrauding New York state of $30m; risks 621 years in prison

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has declared a Nigerian, Chidozie Collins Obasi, wanted for allegedly defrauding the New York state of over $30 million over the sale of “non-existent” ventilators.

The FBI posted on Saturday on its website that the 29-year-old Obasi, had, in March, 2020, perpetrated the crime by posing as a representative of an Indonesian-based medical supply company offering ventilators for sale at the peak of COVID-19.

A statement posted on the site credited to the US Attorney’s office, said the Nigerian had allegedly claimed that the Indonesian-based company had a large stockpile of ventilators manufactured by a German company.

While responding to the claim, the State of New York was said to have wired $30 million for the purchase of the ventilators, which the FBI said did not exist.

“The indictment further alleges that in approximately March 2020, soon after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States and ventilators were in high demand, Obasi posed as a representative of an Indonesian-based medical supply company offering ventilators for sale, and claimed to have a large stockpile of ventilators manufactured by a German company whose headquarters was in Telford, PA,” the FBI said.

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“The defendant allegedly convinced a medical equipment broker in the U.S. to broker sales of these non-existent ventilators, and ultimately deceived the State of New York into wiring more than $30 million for the purchase of ventilators that did not exist.

“Obasi continued to target other potential customers with this same scam, including hospitals.”

The FBI further alleged that Obasi and a co-conspirator offered phony work-from-home jobs to US citizens in September 2018 to obtain more than $1 million.

“When a person responded to the phony job offer, Obasi or a co-conspirator posed as a representative of a legitimate company, often a supposed medical equipment supplier based outside the United States, and offered the person a job as the company’s U.S. representative with responsibilities including collecting on outstanding invoices.

“A co-conspirator in Canada then sent the new “employee” counterfeit checks purportedly from customers of the company, and the new “employee” deposited the checks, took a commission, and wired the rest of the money to a foreign bank account ostensibly owned by the fake company. As alleged in the indictment, Obasi and his co-conspirators obtained more than $1 million in this manner.”

The FBI also disclosed that Obasi and his co-conspirators used stolen identities of US citizens to apply for and obtain more than $135,000 in the COVID-19 economic injury disaster loan in June 2020.

The indictment, according to the FBI, could fetch Obasi a maximum sentence of 621 years in prison if caught and convicted.

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