Imprisoned monarch: Osun moves to secure US court ruling
Imprisoned monarch: Osun moves to secure US court ruling
The Osun State Government has announced plans to obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered by a United States court, which sentenced the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to prison over a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fund fraud.
Oloyede, 62, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, was on Tuesday handed a 56-month prison term by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $4,408,543.38 in restitution.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch forfeited his residence in Medina, Ohio, which was acquired with proceeds of the fraud, along with an additional $96,006.89 linked to the scheme.
He was convicted for leading a conspiracy to exploit COVID-19 emergency loan programmes designed to assist struggling small businesses.
Speaking exclusively to a correspondent on Wednesday, the Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Dosu Babatunde, said the government would not act based on social media reports.
“While it may be true that the monarch has been convicted and jailed, there is no official record with us.
We cannot rely on Facebook posts and stories to justify such a serious matter,” he said.
He added that the government would obtain the CTC of the judgment before making any decision regarding the stool.
We cannot rely on Facebook posts and stories to justify such a serious matter,” he said.
He added that the government would obtain the CTC of the judgment before making any decision regarding the stool.
“We will ensure that the Certified True Copy of the judgment is obtained. Once it is reviewed, the government will decide on the appropriate course of action,” Babatunde stated.
In Ipetumodu, the atmosphere remained calm on Wednesday, though residents were seen discussing the matter quietly.
Sources revealed that chiefs in the town convened a meeting at the palace to deliberate on the monarch’s situation. The most senior chief in the community, Sunday Adedeji, said: “May God never allow disorder in our community. By His grace, He will take full control. There is no crisis in the town, and we do not expect any.”
Court documents showed that between April 2020 and February 2022, Oloyede, who worked as a tax preparer and owned five businesses and a nonprofit organisation, collaborated with 62-year-old Edward Oluwasanmi of Willoughby, Ohio, to file fraudulent applications for COVID-19 relief loans.
The fraudulent claims targeted the Paycheck Protection Programme and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan scheme under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Through their entities, both men submitted falsified applications, defrauding the U.S. government of more than $4.2 million.
Oloyede later pleaded guilty to six charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, engaging in monetary transactions with proceeds of crime, and filing false tax returns.
