COVID-19 affected us differently, pushed me to defraud America of $4.2M (N6.4B) - Nigerian king tells US court

 The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has appealed for leniency in a U.S. court after pleading guilty to a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud case that has attracted significant attention in both Nigeria and the United States.

In a sentencing memorandum submitted on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, before Judge Christopher Boyko of the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch’s legal team argued that the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic largely influenced his involvement in the crime.

“COVID-19 affected all of us differently. Conduct that we would never expect from ourselves or others sometimes manifested itself as we encountered a completely different society,” his counsel stated, adding that while the pandemic was not an excuse, it was a key factor, especially for Mr. Oloyede, who faced health challenges during the outbreak.

The 62-year-old monarch was arrested by the FBI in May 2024 after disappearing from Nigeria two months earlier, raising concerns in Ipetumodu over his absence from key traditional festivals such as Odun Egungun and Odun Edi. He was accused of using six companies to submit fraudulent loan applications under the U.S. Paycheck Protection Programme and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan schemes.

Court documents revealed that Oba Oloyede, who migrated to the U.S. in the late 1990s, had built a reputable career as a banker and adjunct professor before returning to Nigeria in 2019 to ascend the throne. His lawyers described the fraud as a sharp break from his history of service and responsibility, emphasizing that he has shown remorse and accepted full responsibility.

Prosecutors disclosed that part of the fraud proceeds were laundered through personal and business accounts, leading to the seizure of a Medina County property in Ohio and more than $96,000 from one of his company’s bank accounts. He was granted bail after surrendering both his U.S. and Nigerian passports but has remained under court restrictions pending sentencing.

Oba Oloyede, a father of six and foster parent to several others, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2025.

Nigerians react

naigbo_ :  Issorite, now you will be going for few years quarantine in prison 😂😂.

 

harmonyslides_n_t : Ki ade kopé lori o. Ki shékéshéké kopé lowó. Ori ade yin ti sewon 😂.

 

sir_soliz :  Make una put am for prison jare. All this shalaye no necessary 😂.

 

stotz02:  Every successful business for dis Nigeria get fraudulent activity behind closed doors Argue with your keyboard ⌨️.

 

biyitheplug :  how this man take sabi bomb 😂😂.

 

kdollar_rap :  Dem suppose arrest COVID-19 ajeh😢 na reckless driver him be🌚 how can you drove a whole king into fr@ud?🤷‍♂️😜🫣.

So, a 62-year-old Nigerian king from Osun State knows how to scam online? What is your take on this, as netizens are already speculating online?