The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, and Nigerian pastor Edward Oluwasanmi have pleaded guilty to charges of COVID-19 relief fraud in the United States.
The monarch and Oluwasanmi were arrested in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.
Oba Oloyede, who was based in Medina, Ohio, before his enthronement, was accused of using some of his companies, including Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company, to defraud the government through the COVID-19 relief fund.
Oluwasanmi was also accused of using his companies: Dayspring Transportation Limited, Dayspring Holding Incorporated, and Dayspring Property Incorporated to obtain millions of dollars, which he later diverted for his expenses, in breach of US federal laws.
According to court documents, Oba Oloyede and Oluwasanmi, among other things, fraudulently obtained the sum of $3.76m from the US Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loans scheme.
The duo is facing possible prison sentences after admitting to their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2 million in relief funds.
Key Details:
- Fraudulent Activities: Between April 2020 and February 2022, they submitted falsified applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans under the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
- Funds Misused: The funds, intended to support struggling businesses during the pandemic, were diverted for personal expenses and investments.
- Legal Proceedings: Both were charged with 13 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property. They were arraigned before the U.S. District Court of Ohio.
- Community Impact: Oba Oloyede’s absence from his community in Osun State had sparked concerns, as residents were unaware of his legal troubles abroad.