According to a report published on the website of the United States Department of Justice on Friday, September 9, 2022 titled;

‘Nigerian Man Indicted and Wanted for Defrauding New York State Out of More than $30 Million by Posing as Ventilator Seller During Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.‘

The accused Chidozie Collins Obasi is said to have allegedly defr@uding US hospitals of $31 million by offering non-existent COVID-19 ventilators for sale. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) in a statement on Friday, said the suspect perpetrated the scheme from Nigeria with the help of co-conspirators abroad between September 2018 and June 2020.

Obasi and his accomplices allegedly obtained more than $31,000,000 through a complicated fr@ud scheme, the majority coming from the State of New York.

“The scheme alleged in the Indictment began in September 2018, with a sp@m email campaign that offered phony “work from home” jobs. When a person responded to the phony job offer, Obasi or a co-conspirator posed as a representative of a legitimate company, often a supposed medical equipment supplier based outside the United States, and offered the person a job as the company’s U.S. representative with responsibilities including collecting on outstanding invoices.

“In 2020, Obasi went further to pose as a ventilator salesman for an Indonesian medical supply company. Obasi allegedly convinced a medical equipment broker in the U.S. to broker sales of these non-existent ventilators, and ultimately deceived the State of New York into wiring more than $30 million for the purchase of ventilators that did not exist. He continued to target other potential customers with this same sc@m, including hospitals,” the statement captured in part.

According to the indictment sheet, Obasi who is presently a fugitive and wanted by the United States, is being charged with “one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fr@ud, six counts of mail fr@ud and 16 counts of wire fr@ud”.

He faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $5,750,000 fine and would also be required to make full restitution of the more than $31,000,000 that he allegedly obtained by fr@ud if found guilty.Obasi is being accused of allegedly defr@uding US hospitals of $31 million by offering non-existent COVID-19 ventilators for sale. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) in a statement on Friday, said the suspect perpetrated the scheme from Nigeria with the help of co-conspirators abroad between September 2018 and June 2020.

Obasi and his accomplices allegedly obtained more than $31,000,000 through a complicated fr@ud scheme, the majority coming from the State of New York.

“The scheme alleged in the Indictment began in September 2018, with a sp@m email campaign that offered phony “work from home” jobs. When a person responded to the phony job offer, Obasi or a co-conspirator posed as a representative of a legitimate company, often a supposed medical equipment supplier based outside the United States, and offered the person a job as the company’s U.S. representative with responsibilities including collecting on outstanding invoices.

“In 2020, Obasi went further to pose as a ventilator salesman for an Indonesian medical supply company. Obasi allegedly convinced a medical equipment broker in the U.S. to broker sales of these non-existent ventilators, and ultimately deceived the State of New York into wiring more than $30 million for the purchase of ventilators that did not exist. He continued to target other potential customers with this same sc@m, including hospitals,”.

Obasi is presently a fugitive and wanted by the United States who is being charged several counts “one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fr@ud, six counts of mail fr@ud and 16 counts of wire fr@ud”.

The accused is likely to face maximum sentence of up to 21 years in prison, a five-year period of supervised release, and a $5,750,000 fine and would also be required to make full restitution of the more than $31,000,000 that he allegedly obtained by fr@ud if found guilty.

Meaning this came few months after Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi who is also facing accusation of conspiring to launder ‘hundreds of millions of dollars’ and if found guilty might face 20 years in prison. Meanwhile the U. S. court has severally postpones sentencing of Hushpuppi who has been comparative and has pleaded guilty to Count Two which bordering on “Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering,”