Organised crime group forged over 2,000 marriage certificates to allow people to move to UK illegally
Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi (left) and Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo have been jailed
An organised crime group forged over 2,000 marriage certificates to allow people to move to the UK illegally, a court has heard.
The defendants, who were ‘prolific in their desire to abuse the UK’s borders’, conspired to make fraudulent EU Settlement Scheme applications between March 2019 and May 2023.
Nigerian nationals Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, from Manchester, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi from Bolton, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade from Gravesend and Adekunle Kabir from London have now been jailed for a total of 13 years.
They provided false Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to support the applications of Nigerian nationals in order to remain in the UK, Woolwich Crown Court heard.
An investigation led by Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigators, in partnership with Home Office International Operations based in Lagos, uncovered more than 2,000 false marriage documents forged by the gang.
At trial, Onifade and Shodipo were both found guilty of conspiracy to facilitate and conspiracy to provide articles used in fraud.
Gbadamosi was convicted of obtaining leave to remain by deception and fraud by false representation, and Kabir was found guilty of possession of an identity document with improper intention but cleared of obtaining leave to remain by deception.
Onifade, 41, was jailed for six years for conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry in the UK and three years for conspiracy to provide articles used fraud to run concurrently.
Shodipo, 38, was handed a five year sentence for conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry in the UK and three years for conspiracy to provide articles used fraud to run concurrently.
Gbadamosi, 31, was jailed for 18 months for leave to remain by deception and 18 months for fraud by false representation to run concurrently, with Kabir, 54, jailed for nine months for possession of an identity document with improper intention.
Adekunle Kabir was jailed for nine months
Adekunle Kabir was jailed for nine months
After sentencing, Home Office Investigation Supervisor, 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.
“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.”