A gang of four has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for forging over 2,000 marriage certificates, enabling individuals to reside illegally in the United Kingdom. The certificates were used to facilitate sham marriages, allowing people to bypass immigration laws and live in the country unlawfully.
According to a UK news platform, Evening Standard, Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade, 41, Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo, 38, Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi, 31, and Adekunle Kabir, 54, Between March 2019 and May 2023, submitted false EU Settlement Scheme applications for Nigerian nationals, as stated by the Home Office.
The four-man gang forged Nigerian Customary Marriage Certificates and other fraudulent documentation to support the applications of the nationals to help them remain in the country.
A Home Office investigation both domestically and with its international operations based in Lagos, Nigeria uncovered more than 2,000 false marriage documents.
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.
“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.”
