Neda Imasuen, the chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, has been disbarred for life in New York, U.S., 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 absconding with legal fees without representing her in court.

According to documents obtained, Imasuen was permanently disbarred by the Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts in New York. The disbarment followed his failure to respond to multiple petitions and his refusal to cooperate with the disciplinary panel investigating his misconduct.

In 2009, Imasuen was hired by Daphne Shyfield to represent her in a legal matter and was paid tens of millions of dollars in legal fees. However, instead of appearing in court for his client, Imasuen fled with the money, violating New York’s bar code and rules. Despite being served with petitions on several occasions, Imasuen failed to respond or request an extension to file a response. He subsequently fled to Nigeria with Shyfield’s funds to evade disciplinary actions.

The Grievance Committee’s decision, dated May 10, 2010, stated, “Neda B. Imasuen, admitted as Neda Bernards Imasuen, is disbarred, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law.” The notice further commanded Imasuen to “desist and refrain from practicing law in any form, either as principal or agent, clerk, or employee of another, and from appearing as an attorney or counsellor-at-law before any court, judge, justice, board, commission, or other public authority.”

Despite his disbarment, Imasuen, 66, returned to Nigeria and leveraged his position within the Labour Party to win the Edo South senatorial election in 2023. He later became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions. His appointment to this role has raised serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s leadership, given his history of disregarding petitions and ethical violations.

Last week, Imasuen dismissed a sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, citing procedural flaws. He described the petition as “dead on arrival” because Akpoti-Uduaghan had signed the document herself, which he claimed violated Senate rules. However, he later accepted the petition after it was resubmitted with the signature of her constituent’s member.

Imasuen has not yet commented on his disbarment in New York. His case adds to the growing list of Nigerian politicians with tainted pasts who have occupied high-ranking government positions. Notably, Femi Gbajabiamila, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to the President, also had his law license terminated by the State Bar of Georgia in the U.S. over corruption and ethical lapses.

Imasuen’s disbarment by the New York Supreme Court highlights the recurring issue of Nigerian politicians committing crimes abroad and using the proceeds to fund their political careers in Nigeria. His case has sparked renewed scrutiny of the ethical standards of those in leadership positions within the country.