- Four citizens of Nigeria head to jail for producing over 2,000 counterfeit marriage certificates
- The fake documents were used to facilitate illegal entry into the United Kingdom
- The sentences for the offenders ranged from nine months to six years in prison
In a significant crackdown on immigration fraud, four Nigerians have received jail terms for producing more than 2,000 counterfeit marriage certificates used to enable unlawful entry into the United Kingdom.
The Home Office reported that the four individuals were members of a criminal organisation that submitted fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals from 2019 to 2023.
Home Office expresses satisfaction in disrupting fraudulent operation
Paul Moran, the Home Office chief immigration officer said, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.
The four individuals are Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31; Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38; Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41; and Adekunle Kabir, 54. They were all sentenced to jail on Tuesday, August 27, at Woolwich Crown Court in London.
Moran said, “As with many gangs we encounter, their sole priority was financial gain. I am delighted that my team was able to intercept their operation, and I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to unscrupulous gangs who exploit people’s desperation to remain in the UK.”
Jailed group produces over 2,000 fake marriage certificates
The Home Office in the UK, along with investigators in Lagos, found that the Nigerian group was responsible for processing more than 2,000 fake marriage certificates.
Their activities spanned from March 2019 to May 2024 year, during which they were found to have issued fake Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other deceptive documents to help applicants stay in the country.
Onifade, from Gravesend in Kent, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were convicted of conspiring to aid illegal entry into the UK and of providing fraudulent materials. Onifade received a six-year sentence, while Shodipo was sentenced to five years.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was found guilty of securing residency through deception and committing fraud by false representation, receiving a six-year prison sentence.
Kabir, from London, was convicted of possessing an identity document with fraudulent intent but was acquitted of fraudulently obtaining residency. He received a nine-month prison sentence.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money,” Paul Moran, the Home Office chief immigration officer added.
2 Nigerians extradited to US for sexual extortion, death of American citizen
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that two Nigerians, Aina, 26, and Abiodun, 24, have been extradited from Nigeria to the United States to face charges of sexual extortion and the death of a young man in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
According to the report, Aina could be sentenced to life imprisonment if found guilty, whereas Abiodun could receive a maximum of 40 years.