Crime
Nigerian Ayobami Omoniyi Sentenced in US Wire Fraud Case
Ayobami Omoniyi US fraud: Nigerian sentenced to 32 months in prison and ordered to pay $202,273 restitution for wire fraud and money laundering
Nigerian national Ayobami Omoniyi, 26, has been sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar wire fraud and money laundering scheme in the United States.
Also read: EFCC Arrests Okpella Monarch Over N250M Fraud Allegations
Omoniyi, who held a U.S. Green Card, was convicted for laundering fraud proceeds through an unlicensed money transmitting operation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen.
Court records show that Omoniyi pleaded guilty on 19 August 2024 and was ordered to pay restitution of $202,273.80 to victims.
Following completion of his prison term, he is expected to be deported from the United States.
Prosecutors revealed that Omoniyi had been involved in fraudulent activities since arriving in the U.S., acting as a recruiter within a wider network.
Investigations showed that in 2021, he and accomplices operated an unlicensed money transmitting business to receive and transfer funds obtained through business email compromise scams.
One identified victim was an Australian fishing company.
The scheme involved sending spoofed emails designed to appear as legitimate business communications, deceiving victims into transferring funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Omoniyi admitted, as part of his plea agreement, to moving illicit funds through multiple bank accounts and facilitating transfers to other members of the network in exchange for a commission.
Also read: Akwa Ibom Police Rescue Elderly Man from Fraud Syndicate
The sentencing highlights ongoing international efforts by U.S. authorities to crack down on transnational cybercrime and protect victims of wire fraud and financial scams.
For the disgraced monarch, Oba Gbenga Joseph Oloyede, the walls appear to be closing in on the once revered monarch from every direction. Just when many thought prison time in the United States was punishment enough for his shameful act, another crushing blow has landed — this time from his home state.
In a dramatic move that has sent shockwaves across Osun State and beyond, the Osun State Government has officially deposed Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, stripping him of the throne, and the exalted seat he once occupied with splendour, influence and regal authority.
If the embattled royal figure ever entertained hopes of returning to reclaim his stool in Nigeria after serving his sentence abroad, such dreams have now been shattered. The decision to depose him, announced last Tuesday, marked the final unravelling of a reign now remembered more for scandal than sovereignty.
Oba Oloyede is currently serving a four-year prison sentence in the United States following his conviction over COVID-19 fraud-related offences — a stunning development that transformed a once-revered monarch into a global embarrassment.
According to the state government, his removal was carried out in accordance with the Osun State Chiefs Law and other extant regulations governing traditional institutions.
But beyond the legal language lies a deeper symbolism: a king has fallen into disrepute.
The government did not stop at mere deposition. All instruments of office earlier bestowed on him, including the sacred staff of office — the ultimate symbol of traditional authority — have all been withdrawn with immediate effect.
With that singular act, the flamboyant reign of Gbenga Oloyede as the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu has unceremoniously been brought to an end.
The stool of the Apetumodu has now been declared vacant, setting the stage for the emergence of a new monarch who will inherit a throne bruised and dragged in the mud by controversy.
What makes the story even more tragic is the scale of the fall. Before disgrace came calling, Oba Oloyede was the picture of success. Wealthy, stylish and generous. He was admired by many and courted by high society. He carried himself with the aura of a king who had it all.
Money flowed, glamour followed and admirers gathered. Yet, as it often happens in stories of power, the glitter concealed gathering storms.
Then came that ill-fated trip to America — the journey from which he would return not in triumph, but in chains. Today, the crown is gone, the throne empty, and a once-celebrated monarch now stands as a cautionary tale of how quickly fortune can bow before fate.
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