A Nigerian Pastor simply identified as Edward Abiodun Oluwasanmi has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly conspiring with Osun monarch, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to defraud the United States government of $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
This medium gathered that Mr. Oluwasanmi submitted forged documents to apply for the COVID-19 loans, which were originally intended to support struggling businesses during the pandemic.
He reportedly used his companies, Dayspring Property Incorporated, Dayspring Holdings, and Dayspring Transportation to secure millions of dollars, which were later diverted for personal use, violating U.S. federal laws.
The U.S-based Nigerian pastor was indicted for fraud on a 13-count charge and arrested in Cleveland in April.
The suspected conman was later released on a $20,000 bail on the condition that he appears in court for trial and serve out his sentences if handed prison time.
Meanwhile, in September 2020, Mr Oluwasanmi did a wire transfer of about $221,880 to pay for a commercial property on Soyth Freen Road, South Euclid in Ohio.
On October 26, 2021, he wired $1 million COVID-19 funds to Dayspring Transportation (his company) brokerage account.
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Prosecutors already seized about $620,000 from the suspect but were also seeking a forfeiture of the confiscated sum and other properties acquired with the proceeds of fraud.
FBI seized $599,250 from Mr Oluwasanmi’s Dayspring Transportation account with Fidelity Investments ending in –5800 on April 5, 2024.
Almost $20,000 was seized in the Nigerian pastor’s Dayspring Property account ending with —3548 in Key Bank, on the same day.
Both Mr Olanrewaju’s U.S. and Nigerian passports were seized to guarantee his appearance for trial.
His name in the U.S. passport is Edward Olanrewaju Abiodun Oluwasanmi and his passport number is 58*****76 while that of Nigerian passport is A10****31.
Mr Oluwasanmi and the Osun monarch’s fraud cases add to the already-long list of Nigerian fraudsters convicted and languishing in U.S. jails.
