Nigerian Jailed In UK After $12 Million in Data Theft

According to reports by the Daily Mail, a Nigerian man, Kayode Sanni, who was an illegal immigrant in the United Kingdom (UK) has been found guilty and sentenced to five years in jail for leading a gang who used the identities of members of parliament, judges and police officers to swindle the taxpayer out of millions of pounds.

According to Nigerian Communications Week, Sanni, who is 38-years-old, will be jailed for five years and three months for his role in leading the scam that saw the gang members steal personal details from the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC), which provides sport and fitness facilities to more than 120,000 public sector employees and pensioners.

The personal details were deployed in placing orders for tax credit starter packs used in fraudulent claims over a four-year period.

How the scam worked

It all started with Adedamola Oyebode, a 30-year-old Nigerian, who worked as CSSC events manager. Her job afforded her access to the information which she stole all the necessary details and then handed over to her brothers-in-law Oluwatobe Emmanuel Odeyemi, 34, and Oluwagbenga Stephen Odeyemi, 39.

Then the brothers along with Sanni ran the fraud. The gang looked as though there were going to get away with reaping £10,260,525 only for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to uncover the ‘extraordinarily high rate’ of claims being made by civil servants.

According to reports, further investigation revealed the fraudsters had used the details to create false identities, buy online insurance and open false bank accounts to receive the cash. The profits of the scam were then transferred out into either their own accounts or through Western Union facilities set up by Sanni and Emmanuel Odeyemi.

The Case Unpacked

According to reports, the jurors said Sanni “lied through his teeth” after he claimed that his “conscience is clear” and denied involvement in the scam.

The fraud occurred between 10 March 2009 and 11 June 2013. Emmanuel Odeyemi, Chantelle Gumbs and Adedamole Oyebode had earlier pleaded guilty to fraud charges. Odeyemi was sentenced to a prison term of three and a half years; Gumbs, a 15- month sentence suspended for two years; and Oyebode, a two-year sentence suspended for two years. Judge Paul Dodgson described the offence as a serious fraud. Jurors were told that two of the gang, Stephen Odeyemi and his wife Oluwatumininu Banjo, 40, had fled to Nigeria and are wanted abroad.

The Judge presiding over the case, Paul Dodgson, said that ”I think he is remorseful that he got caught,” adding that the conman constantly lied through his teeth.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t regard that as sincere. “I can’t see how someone who contested the matter, who in the jury’s judgement, and in mine as well, just blatantly lied throughout and then claimed to be remorseful.’ Oyebode, who worked for the CSSC between August 2008 and August 2010, admitted supplying lists of members and their details in return for payment. She also made calls to the tax credit helpline to obtain application packs.

Staff Writer