A Nigerian national, Nosa Edokpaigbe, has been sentenced to 60 months (five years) in federal prison in the United States for his role in a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, December 4, 2025, Edokpaigbe was also ordered to pay $1,408,897.16 in restitution and forfeit $681,694 as part of his sentence. After completing his prison term, he will be deported to Nigeria.
Court documents revealed that between July 2020 and May 2021, Edokpaigbe prepared and submitted hundreds of fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using stolen personal information and fake business identities.
To conceal his crimes, he signed loan agreements using false names, created fake documents for fictitious businesses, and even used AI-generated images and mannequin photos to bypass lenders’ identity checks. A wireless hotspot he used to disguise his online activity was recovered during his arrest in October 2023.
Investigators said Edokpaigbe also filed hundreds of fraudulent tax returns, stealing personal information from real individuals to channel federal funds into accounts he controlled. In total, $1.39 million in fraudulent loans was approved and disbursed through the scheme.
“While others were struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nosa Edokpaigbe saw a national emergency as an opportunity to fleece American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly. “His shameless exploitation of relief programs meant to support struggling businesses has earned him years in federal prison and a one-way trip back to Nigeria.”
Marv Massey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Denver, described the defendant’s actions as “greed that affects every American taxpayer.” He added that the FBI would continue to pursue individuals who seek to defraud the government.
The case was presided over by U.S. District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez and investigated by the FBI Denver Field Office in collaboration with the Cybercrime Investigations Division of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Cassidy and Anna Edgar led the prosecution.
