JACKSON, MS – A brazen scheme to siphon over $400,000 from COVID-19 relief funds landed a Texas man a six-year federal prison sentence. Ganiyu Abayomi Jimoh, 30, a Nigerian national with dual U.S. citizenship, was sentenced for his role in a wire fraud conspiracy targeting the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
Court records reveal Jimoh and his co-conspirators opened a network of fraudulent bank accounts across Hinds, Madison, and Rankin Counties in Mississippi, using stolen personal information. These accounts were then used to apply for and receive multiple EIDL loans intended to support legitimate businesses struggling during the pandemic. Between August and September 2020, Jimoh personally pocketed $439,500 in illicit SBA payments.
What makes this case particularly galling is that Jimoh was already out on federal bond in connection with separate offenses in the Southern District of Texas at the time of the EIDL fraud. Despite residing in Houston, Texas, he repeatedly traveled to Mississippi specifically to facilitate the fraudulent activity at various banks, demonstrating a calculated and persistent effort to exploit the system.
Jimoh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in November 2023. The judge ordered his six-year sentence to run consecutively with any remaining time from his previous federal conviction in Texas, effectively stacking the penalties for his criminal behavior. This isn’t a slap on the wrist; it’s a clear message that exploiting disaster relief programs won’t be tolerated.
“The United States Secret Service is committed to investigating and pursuing those who aim to take advantage of victims while trying to exploit our nation’s financial infrastructure,” stated Kyle Smith, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Jackson Resident Office. The investigation, conducted by the Secret Service, highlights the agency’s focus on protecting federal funds from abuse. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis jointly announced the sentencing.
The EIDL program, authorized under the CARES Act in March 2020, was designed to provide a lifeline to Americans impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jimoh’s actions represent a callous betrayal of that intent. Authorities urge anyone with information about COVID-19 related fraud to report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or submit a complaint online at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
Related Federal Cases
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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