Faux Collection Agent Sentenced to 11+ Years

When Yomi Jagunna pleaded guilty to identity theft-related charges back in May, his lawyer told The Star-Ledger he was looking forward to the sentencing hearing where he could “challenge at least some of the evidence.”

That challenge didn’t exactly earn him a lenient sentence. This week the 44-year-old Jagunna was sentenced to 141 months in federal prison for supplying Social Security numbers to members of an identity theft ring. U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in New Jersey also ordered the New Yorker to pay approximately $3.2 million in restitution, and to serve three years supervised release after his 11 year and nine months in prison are up, according to the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra Jr.

Weeping quietly, Jagunna pleaded guilty May 8 to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft. At that hearing he admitted to selling 39 Social Security numbers for $30 apiece to a criminal ring authorities allege bilked dozens of banks of at least $2.5 million, according to The Star-Ledger.

Jagunna accessed the Social Security numbers of victims by creating a sham debt collection agency and opening an account with commercial database provider Lexis-Nexis Inc. Using his database account, he is believed to have looked up information relating to more than 100,000 individuals.

Lexis-Nexis Inc. notified customers of the unauthorized access in a letter dated June 19, 2009, the US Department of Justice stated.


According to authorities, Jagunna sold the numbers to a ring alleged to have targeted homeowners with big credit lines at financial institutions. The FBI alleges the defendants conspired to withdraw funds from victims’ home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and other accounts, either through fraudulent withdrawals or by gaining unauthorized access to online accounts.

The defendants allegedly fooled bank employees into transferring funds into accounts in at least seven countries. The scheme even included the rerouting of victims’ calls to cell phones controlled by the suspects, The Star-Ledger reported.

Jagunna is one of eight defendants from across the country charged in New Jersey in connection with the scheme. Six of the other defendants have pleaded guilty. A case against Hakeem Olokodana, 41, of Queens, N.Y., is pending trial, Marra’s office stated.


Alleged Mobster May Have Targeted LexisNexis