Mervyn Fombe Abiko, a resident of Prince George's County, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1 million in unemployment benefits. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, made the announcement alongside other officials.
The guilty plea outlines that between February 2020 and February 2021, Abiko conspired with Martin Tabe, Gladstone Njokem, and others to impersonate victims and submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The group obtained and shared victims' personally identifiable information without their consent to carry out the fraud. These fraudulent claims were submitted in various states, including Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Authorities identified at least $1,313,325 of unemployment benefits tied to the conspiracy. Common IP, mailing, and email addresses were used to submit these claims. Tabe and Sylvester Atekwane, another conspirator, have pleaded guilty, while Njokem received a 54-month sentence in October 2023.
The fraud occurred during the pandemic, prompting the establishment of the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force in May 2021. This task force aims to address pandemic-related fraud by enhancing investigation and prosecution efforts and supporting agencies in preventing fraud through various measures.
Kelly O. Hayes acknowledged the investigation efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Labor, HSI Baltimore, and Treasury-OIG. Appreciation was also extended to the Prince George's County and Baltimore County Police Departments, and the Maryland Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Resources and priorities of the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be accessed at their official website. Information on pandemic-related fraud or attempts can be reported through the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud.
