Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen (APC, Edo South), has dismissed allegations linking him to fraud, bank robbery and criminal investigations in the United States, insisting he has never been declared a fugitive or wanted by any law enforcement agency.
In a detailed rebuttal dated July 10 and addressed to the African Achievers Awards Organisation in London, the senator described reports portraying him as an FBI fugitive, fraud suspect or former bank robbery mastermind as false, malicious and politically motivated.
Imasuen maintained that no court or law enforcement agency in the United States had ever issued a warrant for his arrest, stressing that he continues to travel freely between Nigeria and the United States.
He also refuted claims that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) linked him to a $25 million fraud, saying no indictment, criminal complaint or official investigative document has ever identified him as a suspect. He challenged those making the allegations to produce credible evidence to support their claims.
The Edo South lawmaker further denied allegations that he was involved in a bank robbery before returning to Nigeria to pursue a political career, describing the claim as entirely fabricated.
According to him, political opponents circulated a photograph of another individual in handcuffs and falsely claimed it showed his arrest by the FBI in an attempt to mislead the public and damage his reputation.
Imasuen disclosed that he owns a residence in Laurelton, Queens, New York, where he previously lived and worked before retirement. He said he continues to receive retirement pension and Social Security benefits in the United States and travels there regularly, including for medical check-ups.
Addressing issues surrounding his legal career in the United States, the senator acknowledged that disciplinary proceedings had once been initiated against him but clarified that they were regulatory—not criminal—and did not involve allegations of fraud, theft, embezzlement or any form of dishonesty.
He explained that he was in Nigeria attending the funeral of his late brother when the proceedings took place and chose not to challenge the outcome because he had accepted an international appointment with the European Union.
Imasuen added that he has instructed his legal counsel in New York to begin the process of restoring his licence to practise law, expressing confidence that the move would further clear any misconceptions about the matter.
The senator linked the resurfacing of the allegations to his role as Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, arguing that the claims emerged after the committee handled disciplinary proceedings involving a serving senator.
He maintained that he has never been convicted of any criminal offence in the United States or elsewhere and urged Nigerians to rely on verified facts and judicial records rather than unverified claims circulating on social media.
