Senator Neda Imasuen, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, has been permanently disbarred from practicing law in New York, United States, over allegations of multimillion-dollar fraud and gross misconduct.
Imasuen, who recently recommended the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was found guilty of swindling a client and fleeing the U.S. to escape legal consequences.
Imasuen Accused of Defrauding Client
Peoples Gazette reported that according to the court documents it obtained, Imasuen was stripped of his law license in 2010 after he collected legal fees from his client, Daphne Shyfield, but failed to represent her in court. Instead, he absconded with the money, violating New York bar codes and legal ethics.
A U.S. court officer confirmed the disbarment, stating, “Mr. Imasuen was permanently disbarred after he collected money from a client and failed to represent her. He also refused to cooperate with the disciplinary panel investigating his misconduct.”
Despite receiving multiple petitions from the Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts, Imasuen never responded and did not request an extension to file a defense. When faced with mounting legal pressure, he fled to Nigeria, effectively abandoning his U.S. legal career.
In a ruling dated May 10, 2010, the Grievance Committee declared, “Neda B. Imasuen, admitted as Neda Bernards Imasuen, is disbarred, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law.”
Furthermore, a notice of disbarment ordered him to stop practicing law in any form, whether as a principal, agent, clerk, or employee, and prohibited him from appearing as a lawyer before any court, judge, or public authority.
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From Disgrace in the U.S. to Power in Nigeria
Despite his legal troubles in the U.S., Imasuen successfully ran for the Edo South senatorial seat in Nigeria under the Labour Party in 2023. He later secured a key role as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, a position responsible for handling public complaints and disciplinary matters within the Senate.
Critics argue that his past misconduct raises concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s leadership.
A political analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity, remarked, “How can someone with a 15-year record of ignoring petitions be put in charge of ethics and public petitions in the Senate? It’s a mockery of accountability.”
Ethics Chairman Blocks Sexual Harassment Petition Against Akpabio
Imasuen recently faced backlash after dismissing a sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. He ruled that the petition was “dead on arrival” because it was signed by Akpoti-Uduaghan herself rather than by a constituent. However, after public outcry, he later accepted the petition when it was resubmitted with the appropriate signature.
Imasuen is not the first Nigerian politician with a criminal record abroad to occupy a high-ranking position in government. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, also lost his law license in the U.S. after admitting to stealing $25,000 from a client.