Oba Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Nigeria, and a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, have pleaded guilty to charges related to a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme in the United States.

According to court documents, Oluwasanmi used several companies  including Dayspring Transportation Limited, Dayspring Holding Incorporated, and Dayspring Property Incorporated to illegally obtain and divert funds meant to support businesses affected by the pandemic. The two men faced a 13-count indictment, including charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property.

Oluwasanmi, represented by his attorney Henry Hilow, pleaded guilty on April 10 to three counts of the indictment. He admitted to using fraud proceeds to purchase a commercial property in South Euclid, Ohio, and to transferring funds into a brokerage account. Oba Oloyede entered his guilty plea on April 21. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on July 2.

Before his enthronement in 2019, Oba Oloyede was a U.S.-based accountant and information systems expert. He frequently traveled between Nigeria and the United States for professional engagements. His prolonged absences from Ipetumodu had already drawn concern from community members, particularly after he demolished the town's palace with a promise to rebuild it  a promise left unfulfilled due to his legal troubles abroad.

Investigators revealed that between April 2020 and February 2022, Oloyede and Oluwasanmi submitted fraudulent applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. They used falsified tax and wage documents to fraudulently obtain funds intended to support small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the pandemic.

Court filings also indicated that Oloyede operated through entities such as Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company to commit the fraud. Similarly, Oluwasanmi exploited his network of companies to divert millions for personal use, violating U.S. federal laws.

Earlier reports noted rising anxiety among residents of Ipetumodu regarding the monarch’s unexplained absence, especially during major festivals and events. The developments surrounding his trial have intensified calls for the Osun State Government to investigate the situation and take appropriate action.