Neda Imasuen, the chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, has been permanently disbarred in New York, United States, over allegations of fraud and professional misconduct.
Documents obtained by DAILY GAZETTE reveal that Imasuen was stripped of his legal licence after he defrauded a client, Daphne Shyfield, of millions of dollars in legal fees.
Despite receiving payment to represent her in a case in 2009, he allegedly failed to appear in court and later fled to Nigeria, avoiding disciplinary proceedings.
The New York Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts, after multiple failed attempts to obtain his response, formally disbarred him in May 2010.
The ruling prohibited him from practicing law in any capacity or appearing before any court in the state.
Despite this history, Imasuen was elected as the senator representing Edo South under the Labour Party in 2023 and now oversees ethical and disciplinary matters in the Senate.
His role has come under scrutiny, especially after he dismissed a sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, citing procedural technicalities.
His case mirrors that of several Nigerian politicians with tainted pasts, including President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was disbarred in Georgia for misappropriating client funds.
Imasuen has not publicly addressed his New York disbarment.
However, his appointment to a key Senate ethics position raises concerns about accountability and governance in Nigeria’s leadership.
