NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A New York man was sentenced on Feb. 8, in Norfolk, to three and a half years in prison for using stolen identities to receive pandemic benefits.

According to court documents, 50-year-old Obinna Nwafor received various pandemic loans using the stolen identities.

In September 2020, a resident of Norfolk who served as a judge on the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court received a statement saying she owed money on a loan. The statement was sent by the U.S. Small Business Administration to her home address. The Norfolk resident reported the incident to police, leading to an investigation.

The loan of around $150,000 had been submitted to the SBA in August 2020, using the resident’s name, Social Security number, birthday, address and number. Documents were electronically signed and the loans went to one of Nwafor’s accounts.

Nwafor did similar activities with at least 19 other victims. He used various accounts and acquired around $600,000 in fraudulent activities, including pandemic-related unemployment benefits.

When Nwafor was told by Wells Fargo that these funds were being returned to the originating state unemployment offices, Nwafor frantically worked with other individuals in an attempt to convince the bank not to return the funds.