The United States Court reports the sentence of Yoruba Monarch over $ 4.2 million Covid-19 fraud

The condemnation of the Artu of Ipermod, Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, was postponed by a Federal Court of the United States following a motion by his legal team to present medical records that could influence the court sentence.

Oba Oloyede, a double citizen of Nigeria and the United States, is facing a federal accusation of 13 counts at the United States District Court for the northern district of Ohio for his alleged involvement in a system of rescue fraud Covid-1 of $ 4.2 million.

The US ministries claim that the monarch has fraudulently obtained pandemic rescue funds intended for American companies in difficulty by presenting falsified loan documents. It is also accused of facilitating similar fraudulent questions for others in exchange for a commission, using part of the funds obtained illegally for personal enrichment.

The monarch’s lawyer Michael Marein had initially requested a conviction date of August 29 to allow him to obtain and present the clinical folders of Oba Oloyede, who described as a fundamental for the consideration of the Court. However, judge Christopher Boyko has reprogrammed the sentence to August 26 instead of 1 August previously fixed.

The prolonged absence of Oba Oreyede from his traditional hypemodu duties in the state of Osun, has aroused concerns among the residents, in particular on the suspension of key cultural rites, including Odun Egungun of last year and Odun Edi festivals, traditionally led by the monarch.

The fate of the royal father is now in the balance, since a condemnation can trigger the loss of his US citizenship and the subsequent deportation pursuant to the federal statutes that allow these revocations for non -natural citizens considered guilty of serious crimes.

Although the Court has yet to pronounce a sentence, legal experts say that the possibility of a prison sentence and the deportation remains high if condemned for many reasons.

The developments aroused anxiety in his hometown and within traditional institutions, in which his case is seen as embarrassing and unprecedented for a Yoruba monarch.

Oba Oloyede was arrested for the first time in 2024 after a joint investigation by the FBI and the US Small Business Administration discovered several fraudulent loan questions related to its name and company entities.

The case of the monarch is part of a wider repression of financial crimes relating to Pandemia in the United States, which has seen billions of dollars lost due to the scammers who exploit emergency rescue programs during the Covid-19 blocks.

It remains in the United States pending the new conviction date.

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