The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has indicted a Nigerian, Christopher Adesoji Falade, and his son, Emmanuel Falade, over an alleged $202 million housing fraud scheme in the United States.
According to a statement on Thursday, the duo, alongside six other suspects, allegedly manipulated the Minnesota Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) programme, a social welfare initiative meant to provide support for vulnerable Americans, including the homeless and those struggling with substance abuse.
Investigators said the suspects enrolled individuals in the scheme but failed to deliver any housing services. Instead, they allegedly inflated participant numbers and submitted fraudulent claims to siphon government funds.
Authorities disclosed that while the total loss to the Department of Human Services exceeded $202 million, the Falades and their associates are believed to have diverted as much as $100 million.
“The defendants exploited a critical safety net designed to provide stability for those most in need,” U.S. prosecutors said, stressing that the abuse of the programme had worsened the challenges faced by vulnerable groups.
The FBI added that more than 80 service providers are under ongoing investigation over similar abuses of the system.
The suspects are facing multiple counts of wire fraud, offences which carry heavy penalties under U.S. federal law. If convicted, they could face lengthy prison terms and restitution orders.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has vowed to strengthen oversight of public assistance programmes to prevent similar abuses in future.
The case has sparked conversations in both the U.S. and Nigeria over the recurring involvement of Nigerians in high-profile fraud cases abroad, raising fresh concerns about image and accountability.
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