The Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, and a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, are facing possible prison sentences in the United States after pleading guilty to a multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information systems expert before ascending the throne in July 2019, was arrested alongside Oluwasanmi in early 2024.
The duo admitted to orchestrating a fraudulent operation that siphoned approximately $4.2 million in pandemic relief funds meant to support struggling businesses and individuals.
According to U.S. authorities, the two men were charged with 13 counts including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, actual wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the government, money laundering, and conducting illegal financial transactions involving criminal proceeds.
Court also documents revealed that Oloyede and Oluwasanmi submitted false applications using fabricated employment data and stolen identities to access the relief funds, which they then laundered through various bank accounts and shell entities.
