Shocking as Nigerian woman faces 10 years in US jail for drug trafficking, fraud
Thursday, November 14, 2019
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A Nigerian woman , identified as Tammy, has pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and bank fraud in the US and may spend up to 10 years in jail .
In a statement by the Department of Justice, US Attorney ’ s Office ( Eastern District of Virginia ) last Tuesday ( November 5 ) , Tammy pleaded guilty to the allegations of conspiring with others to import more than five kilograms of cocaine, as well as to her role in a separate bank fraud scheme , and to making false statements relating to fraudulent claims submitted to Medicaid for reimbursement .
Zachary Terwilliger , US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said “Tammy is a ‘ triple threat ’ of criminality – drug trafficker , a fraudster , and a liar. Tammy, a Nigerian immigrant who has spent the last two decades with the privilege of living in the United States as a lawful permanent resident, clearly has zero respect for American laws pertaining to our borders , controlled substances, our financial system , or our health care system . ”
With her guilty plea , Tammy faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for the cocaine importation charge when sentenced on February 28, 2020.
According to court documents , Tammy, who is 40-years -old, recruited men from the greater Washington , D . C . area to act as drug couriers . She was also accused of opening bank accounts in the couriers ’ names , assisting them in obtaining passports and visas , and booking their travel arrangements.
Tammy’ s suspected couriers travelled primarily to São Paulo , Brazil , where they picked up kilogram quantities of cocaine hidden in the lining of soft -sided briefcases or attaché cases. Altogether , law enforcement seized nearly seven kilograms of cocaine at three different US airports from three separate couriers allegedly recruited by Tammy.
It was reported that Tammy worked as a personal care aide for various home health agencies in the Washington D . C . area , and in order to receive payment for services rendered , Tammy was required to submit time sheets signed by her clients documenting the services rendered . Instead of submitting time sheets for time actually worked providing health care services , Tammy recruited Medicaid recipients to act as her “patients” and to sign her falsified timesheets in return for a small amount of money as a kickback . On at least two occasions , Tammy billed DHCF for home health services she claimed to have provided while she was out of the country .
Apart from the cocaine importation and the home health services scheme , Tammy alleged also used her African goods business in Maryland to carry out a bank fraud
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