Nigerian citizen, Musiliu Amusa residing in the U.S., stole thousands of dollars from various American banks using fake identities, according to indictment documents submitted by the Grand Jury of the District of Maryland and recently obtained by Peoples Gazette.

Using the fictitious names “Kelvin E Robert” and “Ifaolokun Asorodayo,” a Nigerian Yoruba deity, Mr Amusa swindled various American banks between October 1, 2016, and September 7, 2017, findings by the FBI revealed. The names of the banks were, however, redacted from the indictment sheet.

The 2021 document seen by The Gazette showed that Mr Amusa a.k.a “Ifaolokun Asorodayo” made illicit withdrawals “under the custody and control of the Victim Banks, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.”

The Nigerian national had paraded himself as a British citizen and a living Yoruba deity to dupe the unsuspecting U.S. banking officials.

“It was part of the scheme that AMUSA opened account at the Victim Banks in false names using false passports, including a false United Kingdom passport in the name of “Kelvin Emmanuel Robert” and a false Nigeria passport in the name of “Asorodayo Ifaolokun,”” reads a part of the charge sheet filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and signed by Jonathan Lenzner, acting U.S. attorney on August 4, 2021.

In August 2017, Mr Amusa, a New York resident, unlawfully withdrew $6,500 from an undisclosed bank over the course of three days. He also made a deposit of $11,379.50 at the bank’s Frederick, Maryland, location using a forged bank cheque.

“It was further part of the scheme that AMUSA obtained bank checks with the payee information altered to reflect false names, such as “Kelvin E. Robert” and “Asorodayo Ifaolokun,” the indictment document stated.

Mr Lenzner, acting U.S. attorney in the matter, filed a forfeiture proceeding that would ensure Mr Amusa gives up any property derived from proceeds of his fraud to the American government. 

“MUSILIU AMUSA, a/k/a “Kelvin Emmanuel Robert,” a/k/a “Asorodayo Ifaolokun,” shall forfeit to the United States any property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained directly or indirectly, as the result of such offenses,” stated the document.

It was unclear the number of U.S. banks that fell victim to Mr Amusa’s fraudulent schemes since the indictment sheet shielded their identities and only referred to them as “Victim Banks.”