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, August 27.
The UK Home Office reported that the four were involved in an organized crime ring responsible for submitting fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerians.
Their activities, which took place between March 2019 and May 2023, included producing false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fake documents to help applicants, primarily Nigerians, remain in the UK.
An investigation by the Home Office in the UK and Lagos uncovered that the group had fabricated more than 2,000 marriage documents before their arrest.
Onifade, from Gravesend in Kent, and Shodipo, from Manchester, were both convicted of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry into the UK and conspiracy to supply articles used in fraud. They were sentenced to six years and five years in prison, respectively.
Gbadamosi, from Bolton, was found guilty of obtaining leave to remain through deception and fraud by false representation, and received a six-year sentence.
Kabir, from London, was convicted of possession of an identity document with improper intent but was acquitted of obtaining leave to remain by deception. He was sentenced to nine months in prison.
Paul Moran, chief immigration officer at the Home Office, stated, “This group was extremely prolific in their attempts to exploit our borders and has been rightfully brought to justice. Their primary motive was financial gain, and I am pleased that my team managed to halt their operation.
“I hope these convictions will serve as a warning to other unscrupulous gangs exploiting people’s desperation to stay in the UK. We remain committed to securing our borders and targeting gangs that prey on vulnerable individuals for profit.”
