An Indianapolis man, Temitope S. Adeboye, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to wire fraud, theft, and false identity documents offenses. He managed to steal over $800,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits through these illicit activities. The case began when the Congress passed The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in 2020 which offered financial support for jobless individuals.

The Department of Justice informed that Adeboye obtained and used unemployment debit cards, meant for Nevada residents who were victims of identity theft, to carry out his scheme. These individuals were not the ones who applied for the unemployment benefits. When some victims tried to apply for these benefits, they discovered that their identity had already been used for application.

Adeboye was found using the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits debit cards to purchase money orders and other valuable items. To verify his identity in transactions, Adeboye employed false IDs bearing the victims’ names. He once bought a Lexus using the funds from money orders he obtained through stolen unemployment benefits.

He was finally arrested by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers on Aug. 6, 2023, during a traffic stop for driving on a suspended license. A vehicle search revealed 96 unemployment debit cards issued by Nevada, all registered under different names, a receipt from Kroger for $1,501.76, numerous money orders issued by Western Union, U.S. Postal Service, and MoneyGram, and $76,680 in US currency.

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, commented on the case and the commitment of the Department of Justice and law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute criminals who exploited the global crisis for personal gain.

On sentencing, Adeboye was awarded 57 months in federal prison and a restitution of $804,460.54, to be paid after his release.