A 40-year-old Nigerian man named Yomi Jones Olayeye was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on August 13, 2024. He is accused of being involved in a major COVID-19 unemployment fraud scheme that targeted several states in the U.S. between March and July 2020.

Olayeye and his accomplices allegedly obtained over $1.5 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits by using personal information they purchased online. They applied for COVID-19 relief programs such as Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) while pretending to be affected U.S. residents. The group reportedly used fake bank accounts and prepaid cards to collect the stolen funds and even recruited U.S. account holders to help transfer the money.

The authorities say that Olayeye and his partners also used the money they got from the scam to buy Bitcoin. To avoid getting caught, they tried to hide their involvement by using U.S.-based computer networks.

Olayeye now faces charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, and identity theft. These serious crimes could lead to up to 20 years in prison, fines, and other penalties.

This arrest is part of a broader effort by the U.S. government to combat fraud related to pandemic relief programs. In 2021, a special task force was created to track down criminals who took advantage of COVID-19 relief efforts, and Olayeye’s case is one of many that are being investigated and prosecuted.