The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) on April 2, detained Ifediora Oli, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, on charges of conspiracy to defraud the District of Columbia of more than half a million dollars.
Oli, 41, then hurriedly purchased flight tickets for himself and his family to leave for Nigeria as soon as he got wind that he was the subject of a criminal investigation by the US government.
FBI Special Agent Deborah Frye gathered evidence for the charges filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on March 28, which led to Mr Oli’s arrest at his Silver Spring, Maryland, home on April 2.
While being an employee for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Mr Oli was illegally running his own side business, Highbury Global Group, Inc. along with a long-time friend and a partner of his friend. Together, they schemed to win and share the proceeds of a government contract deemed a violation of American law, Ms Frye deposed in court.
Fyre further said that after Mr Oli, received $630,000 as payment for the contract in 2021, he wired $145,000 in two tranches to his friend with instructions to give his friend’s partner $15,000 cash, in all likelihood as a show of appreciation for securing the contract.
Byre said the cash gift contravened the provisions of a U.S. law stipulating that “District Employees Not to benefit” from awarded contracts.
“No officer or employee of the District will be admitted to any share or part of this contract or to any benefit that may arise,” the provision explicitly stated.
Mr Oli is being represented by Nigerian-American criminal defence attorney John Iweanoge.
