Former St. Louis Building Inspector Sentenced for Pandemic Relief Fraud
A former St. Louis building inspector, Adebanjo Popoola, was sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding the public of pandemic relief money intended for home repairs. He was accused of steering over $4 million in city programs to companies…
St. Louis, MO, November 3, 2026 —
A former building inspector for the city of St. Louis has been sentenced to six years in prison for his role in a scheme that defrauded the public of pandemic relief funds. The funds were designated for home repairs.
The individual, identified as Adebanjo Popoola, was accused of diverting more than $4 million in city programs. These programs were established to provide assistance during the pandemic. Investigators found that Popoola steered these funds to companies that were either created by him or by his family members.
During the course of the scheme, Popoola and his associates allegedly profited more than $1.6 million from the fraudulent activities. This money was reportedly used for personal gain.
The case highlights issues surrounding the distribution and oversight of emergency relief funds intended to support community needs during times of crisis. The prosecution aimed to hold accountable those found to have exploited these resources for personal enrichment at the expense of public benefit.
The full extent of the investigation into the companies involved and the specific mechanisms used to divert the funds was not detailed in the available information. The sentence imposed on Popoola reflects the severity of the charges related to the misappropriation of public funds.
Story summarized from the original created by Lauren Trager on www.firstalert4.com, see more information here.
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