A United States District Court has sentenced Nigerian pastor Edward Oluwasanmi to 27 months in federal prison for his involvement in a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme. The sentencing, delivered on July 2, 2025, by Judge Christopher Boyko of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, also includes a forfeiture order of $1.3 million.
Oluwasanmi was convicted on Counts 1, 11, and 12 of a 13-count indictment, with his prison terms to run concurrently. He was charged alongside Joseph Oloyede, a traditional ruler in Osun State, Nigeria, who holds the title of Apetu of Ipetumodu. While sentencing for Oloyede is still pending, U.S. authorities have already seized properties linked to him as part of ongoing asset forfeiture proceedings.
Both men were arrested in April 2024 and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property.
According to U.S. prosecutors, between April 2020 and February 2022, the defendants orchestrated a scheme to defraud the federal government by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), using forged tax and payroll documents tied to businesses under their control.
Oluwasanmi reportedly used entities including Dayspring Transportation Limited, Dayspring Holding Incorporated, and Dayspring Property Incorporated to funnel and misuse millions in COVID-19 relief funds for personal expenses.
Both defendants pleaded guilty in February 2025 as part of negotiated plea agreements. While Oluwasanmi’s sentencing brings partial closure to the high-profile case, legal proceedings involving Oloyede remain ongoing.
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