A Texas man pleaded guilty to illegally obtaining more than $400,000 in COVID-19 economic assistance loans through Mississippi accounts.
Court documents show that 30-year-old Ganiyu Abayomi Jimoh of Houston, Texas, conspired with others to commit wire fraud by opening numerous bank accounts in Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties using other individuals’ personal identifying information, then fraudulently applying for multiple Economic Injury Disaster Loans through the Small Business Administration.
In August and September 2020, Jimoh received four direct deposits from the SBA totaling $439,500.
At the time of the instant offense, the suspect was on federal bond out of the Southern District of Texas. Although Jimoh was from the Lonestar State, he traveled to Mississippi on multiple occasions to visit different banks. He could be seen on video surveillance of many of the bank transactions.
Jimoh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 27, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
The United States Secret Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
