By Springnewsng Media Limited | March 21, 2025

A Nigerian woman residing in the United States, Funke Iyandahttp://A Nigerian woman residing in the United States, Funke Iyanda, faces up to 10 years in prison after being indicted for allegedly defrauding the U.S. government of $40,980 in unemployment benefits.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday, Iyanda, 43, was an undocumented immigrant and, therefore, ineligible for the unemployment benefits she fraudulently claimed.

The indictment alleges that between May 2020 and May 2021, Iyanda used another person’s identity to apply for and receive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. The fraudulent claims resulted in her obtaining approximately $40,980 in benefits to which she had no legal entitlement.

The U.S. Department of Justice emphasized that Iyanda is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. However, under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence would depend on the seriousness of the offense and the defendant’s prior criminal history, if any.

In a related case, a U.S.-based Nigerian professor, Gordian Ndubizu, was recently sentenced to two years in prison for tax evasion. According to court records, Ndubizu and his wife operated a pharmacy that generated approximately $3.28 million in income, leading to a tax evasion of about $1.25 million between 2014 and 2017.

Authorities have reiterated their commitment to prosecuting financial crimes, particularly those involving fraud against the government, to maintain the integrity of public funds.