Nigerian Monarch and Pastor Plead Guilty to Covid Relief funds 

“Nigerian monarch Oba Joseph Oloyede and Pastor Edward Oluwasanmi plead guilty to $4.2M COVID-19 relief fraud in the U.S. Full details on the multi-million dollar scandal”

 

Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Nigeria, and a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, have pleaded guilty to a multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme in the United States.

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According to U.S. court records, Oluwasanmi orchestrated the fraudulent acquisition and diversion of $4.2 million in pandemic relief funds through companies such as Dayspring Transportation Limited, Dayspring Holding Incorporated, and Dayspring Property Incorporated. The funds, meant to assist struggling businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, were illegally obtained using falsified tax documents and wage records.

 

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

 

Pastor Edward Oluwasanmi, represented by attorney Henry Hilow, pleaded guilty to three counts of the indictment on April 10, 2025. He admitted to using fraudulent proceeds to purchase a commercial property in South Euclid, Ohio, and transferring substantial amounts into a brokerage account. Oba Oloyede submitted his guilty plea on April 21, 2025.

 

Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on July 2, 2025.

 

Prior to his ascension as the Apetu of Ipetumodu in 2019, Oba Oloyede worked as an accountant and information systems expert in the U.S. His frequent travel between Nigeria and the United States had already raised concerns among his people, especially after he demolished the community’s palace with promises of reconstruction—only to be arrested abroad.

 

Investigations revealed that between April 2020 and February 2022, both Oloyede and Oluwasanmi filed fraudulent applications under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program—initiatives established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

 

Using fabricated financial documents, they secured millions intended for small businesses impacted by the pandemic. In addition to Oluwasanmi’s companies, Oloyede also exploited entities like Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company to carry out the fraud.

 

Their actions not only violated U.S. federal laws but also betrayed public trust at a time when genuine businesses were in desperate need of relief.