Ghanaian Man Jailed in US for Using Relative's Identity to Get a Job
- A 29-year-old Ghanaian, Linford Atakora, was sentenced to approximately nine months in federal custody in the United States
- Atakora used a relative's Social Security number and identification documents to apply for a job at a home health agency in North Dakota
- The court also ordered his removal from the United States to Ghana following the conclusion of proceedings
PAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
A 29-year-old Ghanaian national, Linford Atakora, has been handed a federal prison sentence in the United States after he fraudulently assumed the identity of an American relative to secure employment he was not legally permitted to hold.
Source: UGC
US District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland sentenced Atakora on a felony charge of misuse of a Social Security number.
The sentence of approximately nine months accounts for time he had already spent in federal custody. The court additionally ordered his deportation to Ghana upon the conclusion of proceedings.
How Atakora used his relative's identity
According to court documents released by the US Attorney's Office for the District of North Dakota, the offence took place in March 2024.
Atakora applied for a position at Love & Care Inc., a home health agency based in Bismarck, North Dakota, and during the application process presented his relative's driver's licence and Social Security card.
He used that individual's name, date of birth, and Social Security number as his own.
He went on to complete an IRS Form W-4 and an employee information form using the same borrowed details.
Court documents confirmed that Atakora held no valid Social Security number and had no authorisation to work in the country.
The financial consequences of the deception extended beyond Atakora himself. As a result of his false employment records, Love & Care Inc. incorrectly received ineligible units and claims worth $51,435.63 from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
US Attorney issues caution to employers
US Attorney Nicholas W. Chase, who announced the sentencing, used the case to issue a direct warning to workers and businesses across the state.
"This case serves as an important reminder to North Dakota workers and employers that working under another person's identity or Social Security number to circumvent immigration work requirements is a federal crime," Chase said.
He confirmed that his office would continue working alongside state and federal law enforcement to pursue similar cases.
The investigation was carried out by the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Jonathan J. O'Konek.
The prosecution is part of broader efforts by the US Department of Justice to crack down on fraud involving public funds.
In April, the department launched the National Fraud Enforcement Division to pursue individuals who defraud the American public, in support of a government-wide task force chaired by Vice President JD Vance.
Businessman jailed 4 years over $2 million fraud
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on Nigerian businessman Joseph Nantomah, who was sentenced to four years in US federal prison for defrauding at least 39 people of more than $2.7 million.
Many of his victims were Nigerian immigrants and church members who trusted his promises of real estate profits.
The money they lost was spent on luxury cars, jewellery, private jets and a yacht.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
