United States v. Lawal — unemployment benefits case, W.D. Wash. at Tacoma

Case summary

This case page collects filings from United States v. Lawal, No. 3:23-cr-05034 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma, a prosecution of two defendants. The indictment filed January 25, 2023 is as to Fatiu Ismaila Lawal (1) on counts 1, 2 through 11 and 12 through 17. The plea agreement of December 18, 2023, the government's sentencing memorandum of March 7, 2024 and the judgment of March 14, 2024 are all as to the second defendant, Sakiru Olanrewaju Ambali. The government's memorandum states that at the onset of the pandemic the pair used stolen identities to submit more than 1,700 claims for COVID-19 unemployment benefits in over 25 states. The judgment as to Ambali orders restitution of $1,035,107, due immediately, with interest waived.

Case at a glance

Whose judgment is on this page?

Only Sakiru Olanrewaju Ambali's, entered March 14, 2024 in No. 3:23CR5034RJB-002. The indictment is as to Fatiu Ismaila Lawal, and no judgment as to Lawal appears among the five filings.

What did the government recommend for Ambali?

36 months' imprisonment for wire fraud on count 5, consecutive to the mandatory 24-month sentence for aggravated identity theft on count 15, for a total of 60 months, plus restitution of $1,035,107 as agreed in the plea agreement and a special condition on reentry after deportation.

What conduct does the government's memorandum describe?

That the pair had stolen the personal identifying information of more than 14,700 people and used it to submit more than 1,700 fraudulent claims for COVID-19 unemployment benefits in over 25 states, and that Ambali submitted claims between May 7, 2020 and at least December 12, 2021.

Summary written from the documents on this page; every sentence is sourced.