A United States court has sentenced a Nigerian caregiver, Akeatha Diane Akintola, to five months in prison after she admitted to stealing more than $17,000 in Social Security benefits meant for a disabled child under her care.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, the 48-year-old pleaded guilty to theft of public funds after unlawfully diverting $17,638 intended for a minor with intellectual disabilities.
“The victim was a grieving autistic child whose benefits were meant to support their future and well-being.”
Prosecutors said Akintola became a social worker with the Snoqualmie Tribe in 2023 before allegedly using the child’s personal information to appoint herself as the child’s Social Security representative payee.
Authorities said she redirected the benefits into a bank account under her control and spent the money on personal expenses.
The fraud came to light after she accompanied her supervisor to the Social Security Administration to inquire about the child’s missing benefits. Officials later discovered she had been receiving the funds.
Court records also showed that Akintola left the United States before an earlier court hearing but later returned to face the charges.
Following her guilty plea, the court ordered her into immediate custody.
In addition to the prison sentence, Akintola was ordered to repay the stolen $17,638 and was permanently barred from serving as a Social Security representative payee.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington
