Four Nigerians have been imprisoned for forging over 2,000 marriage documents in order to assist illegal immigrants in the United Kingdom, UK.
Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, were sentenced on Tuesday at Woolwich Crown Court in London.
According to the Home Office, the four were part of an organised criminal cell that fraudulently applied for the EU Settlement Scheme for Nigerian nationals between 2019 and 2023.
They were all sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.
They ran the business from March 2019 to May of last year, and they were also caught providing false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent papers to applicants in order to stay in the nation.
Home Office chief immigration officer Paul Moran said, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.
“As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.”
Onifade, of Gravesend, Kent, and Shodipo, of Manchester, were both convicted of conspiracy to enable illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to give materials used in fraud.
They were sentenced for six and five years, respectively. Gbadamosi, of Bolton, was sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of acquiring leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation.
Kabir, a London resident, was found guilty of possessing an identity document with wrong intent but was cleared of acquiring leave to remain through deceit. He was sentenced for nine months.
