Court Sentences Leader in Interstate Bank Fraud and Identity Theft Scheme

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Saheed B. Dairo, 40, most recently of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on March 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.  Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Dairo to 151 months’ imprisonment for bank fraud and a consecutive 24 months’ imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. There is no parole in the federal system. After Dairo’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.  Dairo was also ordered to pay $1,491,802.39 in restitution.  Dairo was identified as a Nigerian citizen who may be deported following completion of his sentence. 

During approximately 2018 to 2021, Dairo and others traveled from city to city conducting fraudulent transactions at bank branches using real customers’ information and false identification documents.  Dairo was the leader.  He created phony driver’s licenses and credit cards and supplied them to other fraudsters who posed as customers.  He also provided other individuals working the fraud scheme with account and personal information about customers and instructed them how to conduct the transactions. The group’s pattern was to conduct a series of fraudulent transactions in a particular area during a short period of time, then travel to a different city and conduct fraudulent transactions there.  Overall, individuals acting at Dairo’s direction attempted approximately $5.2 million in fraudulent transactions and obtained about $1.49 million. 

This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Council Bluffs, Iowa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, in coordination with law enforcement agencies in other states.