Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen, has denied allegations linking him to fraud, bank robbery and criminal investigations in the United States, describing the claims as false and politically motivated.
In a rebuttal addressed to the African Achievers Awards Organisation in London, the Edo South lawmaker dismissed reports portraying him as an FBI fugitive or fraud suspect, insisting that no court or law enforcement agency in the United States had ever declared him wanted.
“I have never been declared a fugitive by any court or law enforcement agency in the United States or elsewhere,” Imasuen stated.
The senator also rejected allegations that the Federal Bureau of Investigation linked him to a $25 million fraud case, maintaining that no indictment, criminal complaint or official investigative document had identified him as a suspect.
He challenged those making the allegations to provide verifiable evidence, insisting that none exists.
Imasuen further denied claims that he was involved in a bank robbery in the United States before returning to Nigeria to pursue a political career, describing the allegation as fabricated.
According to him, critics circulated a photograph of another individual in handcuffs and falsely claimed it depicted his arrest by the FBI.
The lawmaker said he owns a residence in Laurelton, Queens, New York, where he previously lived and worked, and continues to travel regularly between Nigeria and the United States.
Addressing questions surrounding his legal career, Imasuen acknowledged that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him in the United States but maintained that the matter was regulatory rather than criminal.
He stressed that the proceedings did not involve allegations of fraud, theft, embezzlement or any offence related to dishonesty.
According to him, he was in Nigeria attending his late brother’s funeral when the proceedings occurred and chose not to appeal the outcome because he had decided to pursue an international appointment with the European Union.
Imasuen said he has already instructed legal counsel in New York to begin the process of restoring his licence to practise law.
The senator linked the resurgence of the allegations to his role as chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, claiming the accusations surfaced after the committee handled disciplinary proceedings involving a serving senator.
He argued that the allegations were aimed at undermining both his credibility and the integrity of the committee.
Imasuen 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 unsubstantiated claims circulated on social media.
He called for caution in assessing allegations against public officials, stressing that evidence should remain the basis for determining the truth.
