US jails Nigerian man for $1 million health insurance fraud

A United States federal court has sentenced a Nigerian man, Henry Ezeonyido, to 27 months in prison for masterminding a sophisticated health insurance fraud scheme that defrauded U.S. insurance companies of over $1 million using fake overseas medical claims.

Ezeonyido, 37, was also ordered by the court to pay $655,313 in restitution, forfeit $396,998 in proceeds tied to the fraudulent operation, and serve three years of supervised release after completing his jail term.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Ezeonyido orchestrated the scheme between October 2019 and February 2022 by submitting bogus medical claims on behalf of himself and at least seven others to five different health insurance companies. These claims falsely stated that the individuals had received emergency treatment abroad for traumatic injuries such as gunshot wounds, stabbings, and car accidents.

“In nearly all cases, the supposed medical emergencies never occurred, and the individuals were actually in the United States during the time they claimed to be receiving care overseas,” the statement said.

Ezeonyido was arrested in July 2024 alongside four co-conspirators—Brendon Ashe, Aqiyla Atherton, Darline Cobbler, and Ariel Lambert. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. All four co-defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to probation for their roles in the scheme.

The fraudulent claims resulted in payouts totaling approximately $655,313 by the defrauded insurance companies. According to prosecutors, a portion of these funds was funneled back to Ezeonyido by his co-conspirators as kickbacks for facilitating the scam. Atherton also played a key role in recruiting additional participants into the scheme, receiving a share of the fraudulent proceeds in return.

“Ezeonyido ultimately pocketed nearly $400,000 from the operation,” the Justice Department said.

Federal authorities described the case as a significant step in tackling healthcare fraud, which they warned undermines the U.S. healthcare system by inflating insurance premiums and eroding public trust.

“Healthcare fraud affects every American,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua Foley. “Schemes like this not only result in financial losses but also threaten the integrity of our insurance system. This sentencing sends a strong message to would-be fraudsters that such crimes will be aggressively prosecuted.”

The case was part of ongoing efforts by U.S. law enforcement agencies to crack down on international and domestic health insurance fraud schemes.