The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Nigerian Pastor Edward Abiodun Oluwasanmi for allegedly conspiring with Osun monarch, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to defraud the U.S. government of $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
According to reports, 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 clergy 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.
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.
Prosecutors already seized about $620,000 from the Nigerian pastor 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 confiscated 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.
Per his bail terms, he would be re-arrested if he missed any appearance at the court for his trial.
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.
Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun’s associate, Bidemi Rufai, suffered a similar fate and was in December released from Fort Dix correctional facility where had served out his jail term for fraud.
Recall that in December 2024, suspected serial fraudster Omobolanle Bombata a.k.a Bobo Chicago was fighting to stay out of jail after allegedly hacking into the emails of several companies to steal millions of dollars.
Bobo Chicago implicated another Nigerian, Wale Ogundana, whose African Shrine nightclub licence got revoked over similar fraud charges.
Infamous Yahoo Boys Ramon Ray ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas and Mr Woodberry were languishing at Fort Dix over Internet fraud.
(PeoplesGazette)