By Austin Manekator
A U.S.-based Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraudulently obtaining $4.2 million in pandemic relief funds.
Oluwasanmi, who lived in Ohio and served as a religious leader, partnered with fellow Nigerian Joseph Oloyede to exploit U.S. COVID-19 relief programs designed to help struggling businesses. The pair submitted fake applications to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) scheme between April 2020 and February 2022, using fictitious payroll records and forged tax documents tied to shell companies such as Dayspring Transportation Limited and Dayspring Holding Inc.
The funds, meant to keep American workers employed during the pandemic, were instead laundered through various accounts and allegedly used for personal enrichment, including real estate.
At his sentencing on July 2, 2025, Judge Christopher Boyko of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio handed Oluwasanmi a 27-month prison term, a $15,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He must also forfeit approximately $1.3 million and a commercial property located at 422 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio.
Federal prosecutors said the pastor’s actions were calculated and deliberate. “This wasn’t an opportunistic mistake—it was a deliberate scheme to exploit a national crisis for personal gain,” read part of the U.S. Attorney’s sentencing memo. “Defendant submitted false documents, false tax returns, and went to great lengths to launder the proceeds.”
Joseph Oloyede, his co-defendant—reportedly a traditional ruler in Osun State—reached a separate settlement with U.S. authorities that includes the forfeiture of his Ohio property and over $88,000 across multiple accounts.
Public reaction has been swift. Many Nigerians online and in the diaspora expressed disappointment that trusted community figures could orchestrate such a sophisticated fraud. “When those expected to guide others morally turn out to be fraudsters, society suffers a double betrayal,” said a Lagos-based legal analyst.
At a time when Nigeria is already battling negative global perceptions tied to cybercrime, this case reinforces the urgent need for community accountability and ethical leadership across the board.
