Nigerian jailed in US after admitting identity fraud to secure cybersecurity job

A Nigerian national, Atuchukwu Markrufus Onyeanusi, has been sentenced in the United States after pleading guilty to identity-related fraud offences linked to securing employment with false documents.

A U.S. District Court sentenced the 32-year-old to time already served nearly six months in custody followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

According to U.S. authorities, Onyeanusi was convicted of fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other official documents after investigators discovered he had used a false identity to obtain employment as a Cyber Threat Analyst.

Court records showed that the Nigerian-born lawful permanent resident was stopped by law enforcement officers in Oklahoma in November 2025 for a traffic violation. During the encounter, officers reportedly found multiple fraudulent documents, including a Texas commercial driver’s licence bearing his photograph but another individual’s name.

Investigators further alleged that he used the false driver’s licence and a fraudulent Social Security card to secure employment with the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board in South Dakota. Authorities also said he falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen on employment-related immigration documents.

Onyeanusi was initially indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025 on charges including fraud and misuse of official documents, possession of fraudulent identification and aggravated identity theft. He later pleaded guilty in February 2026.

U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said the case formed part of Operation Take Back America, a federal initiative aimed at tackling immigration-related crimes and transnational criminal activities.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations alongside the Craig County Sheriff’s Office in Oklahoma, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

The conviction highlights ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to strengthen identity verification systems and combat document fraud within critical sectors of the workforce.