Kenyan jailed for six years in US for Sh46.8m fraud

A Kenyan has been jailed for six years by a Massachusetts court for a Sh46.8 million fraud. Peter Mwangi, 35, was convicted of mail and passport fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Between March 2006 and June 2008, Mwangi registered 11 non-existent businesses with the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance using the identities of living and dead people.

He then claimed unemployment benefits for “former employees” of the companies. In the United States, people who are laid off are entitled to unemployment benefits as they look for another job.

Mwangi claimed his “businesses” had laid off hundreds of workers and provided addresses to which the State of Massachusetts sent the benefits cheques.

Bank accounts

He collected them and cashed or deposited them in his bank accounts. Mwangi was also convicted of forgery after he applied for a US passport in June 2007. In 2008, he had been ordered removed from the United States.