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.
It was 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.
