A Nigerian pastor based in the United States, Pastor Edward Abiodun Oluwasanmi, has been arrested by the FBI over involvement in internet fraud.
Reports indicate that the U.S.-based cleric was apprehended after an investigation linked him to a fraudulent scheme involving COVID-19 relief funds. Authorities revealed that Oluwasanmi allegedly conspired with Osun monarch, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to defraud the U.S. government of approximately $4.2 million through fraudulent means.
Investigators claim that Oluwasanmi and Oloyede submitted forged documents to obtain financial aid intended for struggling businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These fraudulent loan applications allowed them to receive substantial funds, which were meant to provide relief for small businesses and individuals facing economic hardships during the crisis.
The FBI disclosed that Oluwasanmi took advantage of his business entities—Dayspring Property Incorporated, Dayspring Holdings, and Dayspring Transportation—to illegally secure millions of dollars in relief funds. Instead of using the funds for legitimate business purposes, he allegedly diverted them for personal use, thereby violating U.S. federal financial regulations.
Further reports confirm that the Nigerian pastor was indicted on a 13-count fraud charge and subsequently arrested in Cleveland in April. Following his arrest, he was granted bail in the sum of $20,000 with strict conditions attached. Under the bail terms, Oluwasanmi is required to appear in court for trial and serve any prison sentence if found guilty of the charges brought against him.
U.S. authorities have emphasized that failure to comply with court directives will lead to his immediate re-arrest. If he does not appear in court as scheduled, law enforcement officials will take further action against him, which could result in harsher legal consequences.