Four Nigerian gang members were sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that produced over 2,000 fake marriage certificates, facilitating illegal residency for Nigerian citizens in the UK.
The convicted individuals, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, created counterfeit EU Settlement Scheme applications from March 2019 to May last year, according to the Home Office.
The convictions were handed down at Woolwich Crown Court, with sentences ranging from nine months to six years, underscoring the severity of their crimes. The gang provided fraudulent Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other falsified documents to support applications for Nigerian citizens seeking legal residency under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Following a thorough investigation by the Home Office’s international operations team collaborating with authorities in Lagos, Nigeria, over 2,000 fraudulent marriage documents were discovered.
Onifade and Shodipo were charged with conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK, as well as conspiracy to supply documents used in fraudulent activities. Gbadamosi faced charges of obtaining residency through deception and committing fraud by false representation. Kabir was convicted for possessing an identity document with improper intention but was acquitted of obtaining residency through deceit.
Onifade received a six-year sentence, while Shodipo was jailed for five years. Gbadamosi was sentenced to 18 months, and Kabir faced nine months in prison.
In response to the convictions, a Home Office chief immigration officer emphasized that this outcome represents significant progress in the fight against criminal organizations exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit. The official stated, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and has rightly been brought to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and combat the gangs that prey on vulnerable people for financial gain.”
