Adepoju Babatunde Salako, a Nigerian national residing in Pennsylvania, has been formally charged in the United States over his alleged involvement in a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation that targeted COVID-19 relief programs across more than 30 states.
According to federal prosecutors, Salako orchestrated a sophisticated scheme that exploited pandemic-era financial assistance programs, fraudulently obtaining over $5.6 million between July 2020 and July 2021.
The 32-year-old is accused of using the stolen identities of more than 1,000 individuals to file bogus claims for Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the U.S.
Small Business Administration and for unemployment insurance benefits.
Court documents further alleged that between January and March 2021, Salako defrauded the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment of more than $16,000.
He reportedly sourced residents’ personal data from websites like TruthFinder to file at least 15 fake unemployment claims in the state.
The fraudulent activity, according to investigators, extended to several other states including Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New York, where Salako and his alleged accomplices filed at least 10 additional false claims for COVID-19-related benefits using fabricated or stolen identities.
In Nevada, authorities say Salako submitted a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan application under the name “Turn-Turn-Turn Woodturning,” using another stolen identity linked to a resident of the state.
Investigators believe the group stole nearly $6 million from various federal and state relief programs within a span of one year.
The funds were allegedly funneled through multiple accounts using diverse methods to obscure their origins.
Prosecutors said the proceeds were either spent on lavish purchases or transferred overseas, sometimes in the form of cash, cars, or high-value items such as solar panels.
Salako made his initial court appearance on June 13, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Varholak in the District of Colorado.
If convicted, he faces a potential sentence exceeding 20 years in federal prison.
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