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A United States court has received a plea for leniency from the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, who admitted his involvement in a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud that has drawn wide attention in both Nigeria and America.
In a sentencing memorandum filed on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, before Judge Christopher Boyko of the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch, through his legal team, accepted responsibility for his actions but argued that the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic played a significant role in his decision.
“COVID-19 affected everyone differently. At times, conduct we would never expect from ourselves or others emerged in that unusual period. COVID-19 is not an excuse, but it is a factor—especially when someone like Joseph had to fear that pre-existing health conditions could become fatal if he contracted the virus,” his counsel wrote.
Oba Oloyede, 62, was arrested by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in May 2024 after suddenly leaving Nigeria two months earlier.
His unexplained absence sparked concerns in his hometown of Ipetumodu, particularly as he missed key cultural festivals such as Odun Egungun and Odun Edi.
Reports confirmed that he was arrested in Cleveland for allegedly using six companies to file fraudulent loan applications under the U.S. Paycheck Protection Programme (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) scheme.
Court records revealed that the monarch emigrated to the U.S. in the late 1990s, where he earned a doctorate and built a reputable career as a banker and adjunct professor. His lawyers emphasized that the fraud was a “sharp departure” from his decades of service and responsibility, stressing that he had shown remorse and taken full accountability.
Following his arrest, prosecutors alleged that Oba Oloyede laundered part of the proceeds through personal and business accounts. U.S. authorities seized a Medina County property in Ohio, as well as more than $96,000 linked to one of his companies.
He was later granted bail after surrendering his U.S. and Nigerian passports but remained under strict monitoring until final judgment.
The monarch, who is a father of six and also a foster parent, is now scheduled for sentencing on August 26, 2025, after the court postponed an earlier date to review sealed medical records.
Meanwhile, back home in Ipetumodu, his prolonged absence has left the community without an active traditional ruler, raising concerns over leadership and succession within the town.
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