The Osun State Government has stated that it will get a certified true copy of the judgement of a United States court that condemned the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to prison for a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fund fraud.
Chronicle NG reports that Oloyede, 62, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, was sentenced to 56 months in jail on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko.
He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and repay $4,408,543.38 in restitution.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch forfeited his Medina, Ohio, home, which was acquired with the scheme’s funds, as well as an additional $96,006.89 in fraud.
Oloyede was convicted for leading a conspiracy to exploit COVID-19 emergency loan programmes designed to assist struggling small businesses.
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 also stated that the government would obtain the CTC of the judgement before making any decision regarding the stool.
“We will direct that the Certified True Copy of the judgement be obtained. After studying it, the government will then decide on the next steps,” Babatunde stated.
Court filings revealed that between April 2020 and February 2022, Oloyede, a tax preparer who controlled five businesses and a nonprofit, colluded with 62-year-old Edward Oluwasanmi of Willoughby, Ohio, to submit fake applications for COVID-19 relief loans.
The bogus applications targeted the Pay cheque Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan scheme under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Using their businesses, both men submitted false applications, robbing the US government of more than $4.2 million.
Oloyede pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, participating in monetary transactions with criminally generated property, and filing false tax returns.
