The throne has always been a seat of reverence, but for Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, it now comes with international disgrace. In a shocking twist that sounds like a plot from a scandal series, the Nigerian monarch has been sentenced to 56 months in a United States prison after being found guilty of defrauding America’s COVID-19 relief programs of more than $4.2 million. The judgment, delivered on August 26, 2025, in an Ohio court, has left tongues wagging both at home and abroad.
The monarch, who many in his hometown revere as a custodian of culture and tradition, was exposed as a player in one of the pandemic’s dirtiest fraud cases. Together with his associate, Edward Oluwasanmi, he submitted dozens of falsified applications under the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan scheme, relief packages meant to rescue struggling businesses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of helping the needy, the money was channeled into luxury—land, a high-end car, and even a plush home in Medina, Ohio, which the U.S. government has now seized.
Prosecutors revealed that Oloyede’s scheme was no small hustle. At least 38 fraudulent applications were approved, with his businesses raking in around $1.7 million while Oluwasanmi’s took about $1.2 million. To make matters worse, the monarch allegedly pocketed 15 to 20 percent kickbacks from clients whose names he used in loan applications, often without their full consent. At the end of it all, the fraud bled the U.S. system of more than $4.2 million. For this, the court ordered him to pay back a staggering $4.4 million in restitution, forfeit his Ohio mansion, and cough up another $96,000 traced to the scheme.
Judge Christopher Boyko was clear in his ruling: a man who wears a crown cannot be above the law. The monarch will not only serve nearly five years in prison but will also spend three years under supervised release after completing his sentence. For a custodian of tradition who should symbolize integrity, this scandal is a heavy fall from grace.
Back home in Nigeria, the story has quickly spilled into gossip circles, sparking debates about integrity among traditional rulers. Some villagers in Ipetumodu are said to be in disbelief, while others whisper that this disgrace was long coming. Social media has been ruthless, with memes and commentary dragging the monarch for swapping cultural prestige for a fraudster’s playbook.
The scandal is even juicier because his co-conspirator, Oluwasanmi, had already been sentenced in 2024 to 27 months in prison with his own restitution fines and property seizures. It paints a picture of a carefully orchestrated fraud that was bound to unravel. Both men now stand as cautionary tales of greed meeting the long arm of American justice.
While Nigeria is no stranger to corruption scandals, this case cuts deeper because of the person involved. A monarch crossing seas, wearing agbada on the outside but playing scammer on the inside, is a storyline even Nollywood would envy. The irony is bitter: funds meant to save small American businesses from pandemic collapse instead helped build a monarch’s mansion.
As he begins his prison term, Oba Joseph Oloyede’s name is stamped into history—not as a royal hero but as a disgraced king. It’s a scandal that blends the weight of crime with the spice of gossip, reminding us that no matter the crown, actions speak louder than titles. And for this king, the echo of shame may last much longer than the years behind bars.
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