Neda Imasuen, a Nigerian senator and chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, has been permanently banned from practicing law in New York due to fraud and misconduct. Reports reveal that Imasuen took millions of dollars from a client but failed to represent her in court.

According to documents obtained by Peoples Gazette, the New York Supreme Court disbarred Imasuen after he collected legal fees from Daphne Shyfield in 2009 and then disappeared without handling her case. Despite multiple petitions against him, he refused to respond or cooperate with the disciplinary panel.

Instead of facing the charges, Imasuen fled to Nigeria, avoiding legal consequences in the U.S. His license to practice law was officially revoked in May 2010 by the Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts.

Despite his legal troubles abroad, Imasuen contested and won the Edo South senatorial election in 2023 under the Labour Party. He later became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions—a position that raises concerns about leadership integrity in Nigeria.

Recently, he dismissed a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, claiming it did not follow due process. However, he later accepted the petition after it was resubmitted correctly.

Imasuen’s case is similar to that of Femi Gbajabiamila, Nigeria’s President’s Chief of Staff, who lost his law license in Georgia, U.S., over fraud and ethical violations. These instances highlight a growing trend of Nigerian politicians with tainted pasts securing influential government positions.

Imasuen has not yet commented on his disbarment.