FBI Arrests Two Nigerians For Inventing ‘Fraud Bible’ To Steal $50 Million From U.S. Citizens
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has apprehended two Nigerian nationals, Nosakhare Nobore and Solomon Aluko, for their alleged roles in orchestrating a massive scheme that defrauded the United States government and its citizens of approximately $50 million.
The duo is accused of creating a ‘Fraud Bible,’ a comprehensive guide detailing methods to execute large-scale scams, which they purportedly used to exploit COVID-19 relief funds.
According to an indictment unsealed by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew Podolsky, Nobore and Aluko were part of a syndicate that operated between 2021 and 2025.
They allegedly engaged in a nationwide scheme to fraudulently obtain checks and launder the proceeds across various U.S. cities.
The indictment also names four other individuals—Jorge Gonzalez, Leonard Ujkic, Nicholas Pappas, and Shan An and—as co-conspirators in the elaborate fraud network.
The suspects are accused of stealing victims’ identities to open fake bank accounts, with assistance from a bank teller within their ranks.
This insider allegedly facilitated the deposit of counterfeit or fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks, linked to false filings with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concerning the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and Qualified Sick Leave Wages (QSLW) credit.
Authorities claim that the defendants attempted to steal up to $80 million but successfully cashed out $50 million over the four-year period. Once the checks were deposited, the funds were either withdrawn in cash or transferred to other accounts under the defendants’ control.
Each defendant faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a potential sentence of 30 years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering, with a possible 20-year sentence; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, punishable by up to 10 years; and aggravated identity theft, which mandates a two-year sentence.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
