Four Nigerians have been sentenced to prison in the UK for forging more than 2,000 marriage certificates to help people live in the country illegally.
The four individuals, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41; Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38; Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31; and Adekunle Kabir, 54, were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in London on Tuesday.
According to the Home Office, the group was involved in an organized criminal network that made fraudulent applications to the EU Settlement Scheme for Nigerian nationals between 2019 and 2023. The group was also found to have provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fake documents to help applicants stay in the UK.
An investigation by the Home Office in the UK and Lagos revealed that the group had facilitated over 2,000 fake marriage documents. Speaking about the case, Home Office Chief Immigration Officer Paul Moran said, “This group was absolutely prolific in their desire to abuse our borders and have rightly been brought to justice.”
Moran added, “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. We will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who prey on vulnerable people to make money.”
Onifade, from Gravesend in Kent, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud. They were sentenced to six years and five years in prison, respectively.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation and was sentenced to six years in prison. Kabir, from London, was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but was cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception. He received a nine-month prison sentence.
