2 Indy men sentenced to federal prison for stealing over $500K in pandemic unemployment funds

INDIANAPOLIS -- Three men, including two hailing from Indianapolis, have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing over $500,000 in unemployment benefits in multiple states.




According to the United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Indiana, 24-year-old Kamaldeen Karaole of Indianapolis was sentenced to four years in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Karaole was charged and convicted of aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud.




Stephen Olamigoke, 23, of Nigeria, was also sentenced to 2.5 years with two years of supervised release. The release said Olamigoke would be "subject to removal from the United States" after completing his sentence.




Lastly, 24-year-old Johnson Omodusonu of Indianapolis received a 2-year prison sentence and two more years of supervised release. Omodusonu and Olamigoke were each charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud.




The trio reportedly took over 168 Unemployment Insurance debit cards between August and October 2020. The states where these cards were stolen included California, Arizona and Nevada.




The cards were taken by other members of the conspiracy, who investigators said had stolen personal information to supplement filing multiple false unemployment claims in various states.




The individuals then reportedly accessed the PIN numbers associated with 98 of these cards to withdraw cash totalling $520,910 in unemployment benefits after making 529 withdrawals. The funds were meant for individuals who filed for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic as the government expanded the accessibility of federal programs.




All three individuals were ordered to pay back the complete amount in restitution fees as part of their sentencing.




"Stealing unemployment benefits meant to help people survive during one of the worst crises in modern history is both heartless and criminal," said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "These defendants exploited a system designed to support those in genuine need, and now they are being held accountable for their greed thanks to the diligent work of our federal partners and prosecutor."





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/2-indy-men-sentenced-to-federal-prison-for-stealing-over-500k-in-pandemic-unemployment-funds/