A United States federal court has sentenced Abiola Femi Quadri, a 43-year-old Nigerian citizen residing in Pasadena, California, to 11 years and 3 months (135 months) in prison for orchestrating a $1.3 million COVID-19 unemployment and disability fraud scheme targeting California and Nevada.
Quadri submitted over 100 fraudulent applications using stolen identities during the pandemic and used the proceeds to fund the construction of a 120-room luxury resort in Nigeria, named Oyins International, which includes a nightclub, shopping mall, and other high-end amenities.
He was sentenced on Thursday, July 10, 2025, by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a $35,000 fine.
Court documents revealed that Quadri:
- Gained U.S. permanent residency through a sham marriage
- Attempted to flee to Nigeria in September 2024, but was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport
- Wired at least $500,000 abroad during the scheme
- Possessed 17 counterfeit checks worth over $3.3 million
- Operated a business called Rock of Peace, which received state funds to care for developmentally disabled children
- Misappropriated food-aid debit cards meant for those children
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Employment Development Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section.
