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Nigerian Man Jailed In US For $1.3m COVID-19 Fraud

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A Nigerian man living in the San Gabriel Valley, Abiola Femi Quadri, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for defrauding California and Nevada out of $1.3m in COVID-19 pandemic unemployment and disability insurance benefits.

Quadri, 43, was caught submitting more than 100 fraudulent applications using stolen identities and using the money to build a nightclub and mall in Nigeria.

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He was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a $35,000 fine.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, Ciaran McEvoy, on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

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Quadri is a Nigerian citizen who acquired permanent residency in the United States through what he described, according to court documents, as a “fake wedding” in messages to a woman who was not his wife.

He pleaded guilty on January 2 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The statement read, “Quadri withdrew the fraudulent unemployment and disability benefits at ATMs from 2021 until his arrest in September 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was scheduled to fly to Nigeria. Quadri sent at least $500,000 abroad during the scheme.

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“He also paid for the construction of a 120-room resort hotel in Nigeria, the Oyins International, which includes a nightclub, a mall, and additional high-end amenities.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: UAE Imposes Fresh Visa Conditions On Nigerians, Bans Transit Visa

Quadri failed to disclose his ownership of the hotel as required when completing his financial disclosure to the court.”

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Investigators found on Quadri’s phone images of 17 counterfeit checks totalling more than $3.3m, along with messages about negotiating the checks.

Some of the checks were made payable to shell businesses held in the names of Quadri’s aliases.

California paid Quadri to provide daycare services to developmentally disabled children through his Altadena-based business, Rock of Peace.

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READ ALSO:FG Moves To Evacuate Nigerians From Israel, Iran As Crisis Escalates

When agents searched Quadri’s residence, they found the children’s misappropriated food-aid debit cards.

The United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division investigated this matter.

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Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.

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I Won’t Allow His Movement To Die, Charlie Kirk’s Widow Vows

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Erika Kirk, widow of prominent right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, has vowed to continue her husband’s work after US authorities confirmed the arrest of his alleged assassin.

A grieving Erika, in a live video on Friday, paid tribute to her late husband, describing him as “the perfect father…the perfect husband.”

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“The evil-doers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done.

READ ALSO:FBI Releases Video Of Charlie Kirk’s Shooter, Recovers Weapons Near Scene [WATCH]

The movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen,” she added.

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Tribune Online reports that the suspected killer of Kirk has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump confirmed that a suspect had been arrested after a massive manhunt.

Somebody very close to him turned him in,” Trump told Fox News in a live studio interview.

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READ ALSO:Charlie Kirk Shooter Arrested, Named

“The person was involved with law enforcement, but was a person of faith, a minister, and brought him to a US Marshal who was fantastic.

“They drove into the police headquarters, and he’s there now.”

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He added: “We have the person that we think is the person we’re looking for.”

Kirk, 31, who was known for rallying youth support for Trump, was shot dead on Wednesday during an appearance at a Utah university.

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California Lawmakers Approve Ban On Face Masks For Authorities

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California lawmakers in the United States have approved a bill that would prevent most law enforcement officers from covering their faces while on duty.

According to ABC News, the measure follows a series of immigration raids in Los Angeles.

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This is the first bill of its kind to pass a state legislature, though similar proposals have been introduced in Congress and in states such as Tennessee, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

The California Legislature, controlled by Democrats, passed the bill on Thursday as part of a broader response to immigration enforcement actions.

READ ALSO:Two Dead, 18 Injured In California Plane Crash

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If signed into law, the bill would prohibit local and federal officers, including immigration agents, from using neck gaiters, ski masks and other facial coverings while carrying out official duties. Exceptions include undercover work, protective medical masks and tactical gear.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has about a month to decide whether to sign it. He has criticised the use of masks by federal agents but in July questioned whether the state has the authority to regulate them. His office said Friday it does not usually comment on pending bills.

According to supporters, the legislation is needed, especially after the Supreme Court this week allowed the federal government to continue large-scale immigration operations in Los Angeles.

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Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, vice chair of the Latino caucus, said the ruling is “effectively allowing federal agents stop suspects based solely on their race, language, or job.”

READ ALSO:US: 3.7-magnitude Earthquake Hits Malibu Area Of California

“How is anyone supposed to reasonably believe that they are law enforcement officers and not masked individuals trying to kidnap you?” he said before the vote. “Imagine the absolute fear of being pulled over at gunpoint by a group of masked individuals.”

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Backers also cited constitutional law expert Erwin Chemerinsky of the University of California, Berkeley, who argued that federal employees must still follow state laws unless doing so prevents them from performing their duties. “ICE agents have never before worn masks when apprehending people, and that never has posed a problem. Nor have other officers of local, state and federal law enforcement faced dangers from the public because they don’t wear masks in the streets,” he wrote in an opinion piece for the Sacramento Bee.

Republicans and law enforcement groups strongly opposed the bill, saying it puts officers at risk.

READ ALSO:State Of Emergency Declared As California Wildfire Explodes In Size

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“Bad guys wear masks because they don’t want to get caught. Good guys wear masks because they don’t want to get killed,” said Republican state Sen. Kelly Seyarto on Thursday.

The use of masks by immigration agents has deepened the divide between those who oppose Trump-era enforcement policies and those who support them.

Trump administration officials defended the practice, saying agents have faced growing harassment in public and online. They argue covering their faces helps protect officers and their families. Democrats and several state attorneys general counter that the masks cause public fear and should be banned.

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Charlie Kirk Shooter Arrested, Named

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United States authorities have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as 21-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah, according to NBC News, citing five senior law enforcement sources.

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Kirk was fatally shot in the neck on Tuesday while speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University.

READ ALSO:Russia Threatens Poland Over Belarus Border Closure

Authorities said the attacker fired a single round from a rooftop in what they described as a targeted assassination.

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US President Donald Trump confirmed the arrest, telling Fox News that investigators acted “with a high degree of certainty” in taking Robinson into custody.

Trump praised the joint efforts of local police and state officials in the investigation.

 

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