₦airaland Forum

A United States District Court has sentenced a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, to 27 months’ imprisonment for COVID-19 relief fund fraud.

His friend, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, also forfeited his property to the US government while awaiting the court judgement slated for August 1.

Oluwasanmi and Oba Oloyede were arrested in early 2024 for fraudulently obtaining $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.

The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

They were arraigned before Justice Christopher Boyko of the US District Court of Ohio.

Saturday PUNCH had reported that Oluwasanmi and Oloyede pleaded guilty to some of the charges after reaching a guilty plea agreement with the court.

According to court records obtained by our correspondent, Judge Boyko sentenced Oluwasanmi to 27 months’ imprisonment on counts one, 11 and 12 of the indictment on Wednesday, July 2.


The sentences are to be served concurrently.

The court also ordered Oluwasanmi to pay a fine of $15,000, while he is to report himself to the U.S. Marshal Service.

“Supervised release three years on each of counts 1 and 11-12, all such terms to run concurrently, with standard and special conditions.

“As a result of the foregoing offenses, defendants Joseph Oloyede and Edward Oluwasanmi shall forfeit to the United States: all property, real and personal, which constitutes – or is derived from – proceeds traceable to the commission of the wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy offenses; all property constituting, or derived from, proceeds the defendants obtained, directly or indirectly, as the result of the wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy offenses and any and all property, real and personal involved in the money laundering offenses, and any property traceable to such property,” the court said.

Oluwasanmi is to forfeit a commercial property on 422 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio.


Meanwhile, the court has fixed Friday, August 1, for sentencing of Oloyede, after the monarch also pleaded guilty to counts one and 13 of his charges.

On Monday, April 21, Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information system expert, who was appointed Apetu in July 2019, submitted his guilty plea to the court.


Oba Oloyede and Oluwasanmi were accused of submitting falsified applications for Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loans under the US Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act between April 2020 and February 2022.

They were also alleged of using fake tax and wage documents to secure funds meant to support struggling businesses during the pandemic.

The US Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by issuing loans to small businesses and non-profit entities experiencing revenue loss due to the pandemic.

The Act also authorised the US Small Business Administration to issue advances or grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses.

Oba Oloyede was accused of using some of his companies, including Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company, to defraud the government.

Following the monarch’s disappearance, the Osun State Government had said it would await the outcome of his trial before taking action.

The government also said it would conduct investigations and take steps on the monarch’s disappearance from the palace.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, on Friday, said nothing had changed yet.

He said, “A person is innocent until a court convicts them. So, we don’t want to jump the gun; let us wait for the court’s pronouncement on the matter.”

oz4real83:
Why Ifa always "chooses' fraudsters as monarchs in yorubaland is something that is worth studying

nairalanda1:
Humans have free agency.

That the gods chose you means they have confidence in you that you will live up to their expectations that you will do well and even exceed their expectations

Unfortunately, many humans are easily tempted and tempted to do wrong.

Maybe the gods should come down and micromanage our brains so that we can be good people all the time. But that will mean no more free will. We will.jist become worker drones and robots . Am sure you won't like that

And then ifa has chosen people who have not engaged in fraud and done well.

(I'm not endorosng fraud and I am not a traditionalist)

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/COVID-19-fraud-US-court-jails-pastor-as-Osun-monarch-forfeits-property

Karlovych:
Another forfeited assets,

First it was the narcotics lord that forfeited proceeds of his drug trade now this!

I see him returning back to Nigeria to run for office,

I see Yorubas forgiving him and voting for him

I see him Impoverish the SW

This I have seen!

jameshankss:
Arguing that Obi’s presidential bid would only work in favour of Tinubu, Soludo said, “Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign, because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP.”

Obi, according to Soludo, would only deplete the votes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pave the path for an APC victory.

He stated, “The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South-east has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a four-way race (it is a two-way race in the other five regions) thereby, ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/11/15/soludo-i-wont-succumb-to-bullies-obi-knows-he-cant-win/

greatseed:
So I heard of another Oba whom the Alaafin visited recently that smokes all kind of hard drugs in his palace! Shake my head for this country & its type of leaders ín various capacities.

May God bless Nigeria still & cleanse us from all this constant mess!

Karlovych:
Another forfeited assets,

First it was the narcotics lord that forfeited proceeds of his drug trade now this!

I see him returning back to Nigeria to run for office,

I see Yorubas forgiving him and voting for him

I see him Impoverish the SW

This I have seen!

Basic123:
Until we yorubas stop chosing America returnee as kings.....Honestly,that is the trend now.Even Alafin and Ooni are returnees.what about Oluwo of Iwo?!

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/COVID-19-fraud-US-court-jails-pastor-as-Osun-monarch-forfeits-property

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/COVID-19-fraud-US-court-jails-pastor-as-Osun-monarch-forfeits-property