Nigerian Social Worker, Diane Akinsola Jailed By US Court For Stealing $17,000 Social Security Benefits

A United States (US) Attorney’s office has announced the conviction of a Nigerian social worker based in the United States, Akeatha Diane Akintola, to five months in prison.

The convict was guilty of stealing more than $17,000 in Social Security benefits meant for a disabled child under her care in Washington State.

According to a statement issued by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Akintola, 48, pleaded guilty to theft of public funds after unlawfully diverting $17,638 intended for a minor with intellectual disabilities.

She was taken into custody immediately after her plea and sentencing before Magistrate Judge Kate Vaughan, who condemned the offence and noted the vulnerability of the victim.

Court records showed that Akintola became a social worker for the Snoqualmie Tribe in January 2023.

In September of that year, she applied to become the Social Security representative payee for a disabled child who was a ward of the tribe.

Prosecutors said the tribe prohibited its social workers from serving as representative payees for children under its care.

Despite the restriction, Akintola allegedly used the child’s Social Security number and her personal information to secure the appointment and redirect the benefits into a bank account she controlled.

Authorities said she spent the funds on personal expenses, including purchases at a retail store in North Bend, Washington.

The fraud was uncovered in July 2024, when Akintola accompanied her supervisor to a Social Security Administration office to investigate the child’s missing benefits.