US Names 1 Nigerian in First-Ever Labour Most Wanted List
- The US Department of Labour unveiled its first-ever Most Wanted List on Wednesday, naming 16 fugitives linked to fraud, money laundering, and illegal labour movement
- Nigerian national Onoriode Ezewu appeared on the list over alleged money laundering tied to fraudulent unemployment claims worth more than $1m
- The 16 cases on the list collectively involve more than $55m allegedly stolen from American taxpayers
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The United States Department of Labour has published its first-ever Most Wanted List, and a Nigerian national is among the 16 fugitives named in connection with fraud and money laundering cases totalling more than $55m in alleged losses to American taxpayers.
The department's Office of Inspector General released the list on Wednesday via its website, identifying individuals wanted for a range of offences including fraud, identity theft, money laundering, illegal labour movement, and related crimes.
Source: Twitter
Onoriode Ezewu is listed among the 16 fugitives, with the department stating he is wanted for concealment of money laundering. Investigators allege he was involved in a scheme to fraudulently claim unemployment benefits worth more than $1m. According to his profile on the department's website, Ezewu is believed to be currently residing in Nigeria.
Why the US labour department created the list
Inspector General Anthony P. D'Esposito said the initiative was designed to step up efforts to track down the named individuals and recover money allegedly taken from taxpayers. He added that the agency is working alongside the White House Fraud Task Force as part of that effort.
Beyond law enforcement cooperation, the department said it launched the list to enlist the help of the public, the media, online platforms, and international partners in locating the fugitives.
In a separate development tied to the list, the department announced that one of the named fugitives, Leslie Kaciban, had already been arrested in Hungary. Kaciban is awaiting extradition to the United States over an alleged labour racketeering scheme involving roughly $4m in illegal kickbacks.
The department urged anyone with knowledge of suspected wrongdoing involving its programmes or operations to reach out to its Office of Inspector General directly.
Source: Twitter
US admits misleading Nigeria, other African countries
Legit.ng earlier reported that the US State Department admitted a map shown at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro misidentified every African country it highlighted.
The map, which carried an AI watermark linked to OpenAI tools, placed Nigeria, Mozambique and Cote d'Ivoire in entirely wrong locations on the continent.
A former State Department official linked the error to mass staff cuts under President Donald Trump's administration.
Source: Legit.ng
