The Osun State Government has announced plans to obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of a U.S. court judgment that sentenced the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, to prison for fraud involving COVID-19 relief funds.
Oloyede, 62, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, was sentenced to 56 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko.
In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $4.4 million in restitution. He also forfeited a home in Medina, Ohio, and over $96,000 linked to the fraudulent scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio said Oloyede, who worked as a tax preparer and operated multiple businesses and a nonprofit, led a conspiracy to defraud US.
COVID-19 emergency loan programs between April 2020 and February 2022. Along with an accomplice, Edward Oluwasanmi, 62, of Willoughby, Ohio, Oloyede submitted falsified applications to exploit the Paycheck Protection Programme (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) scheme.
He pleaded guilty to six counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns.
Reacting to the development, Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Dosu Babatunde, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that the government would not act based on 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,” Babatunde said.
He added that the government would request the Certified True Copy of the court ruling to determine the appropriate course of action regarding the monarch’s position.
In Ipetumodu, the mood remained calm on Wednesday, although residents were quietly discussing the issue. A meeting of town chiefs was reportedly held at the palace to deliberate on the situation. When contacted, the most senior chief, Sunday Adedeji, said.
“May God never allow chaos in our community. By the grace of God, He will be in total and complete control. There is no crisis in the town, and we do not envisage any.”
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