A 24-year-old Nigerian man, Mercy Ojedeji, has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and the unlawful use of fraudulent immigration documents in the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri announced Thursday that Ojedeji entered the plea in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, Missouri, earlier this week.
On Wednesday, Ojedeji admitted to using fraudulent documents to secure a student visa and gain admission to the University of Missouri’s PhD program in chemistry in Fall 2023. He acknowledged that he submitted falsified academic transcripts, fake recommendation letters, a fabricated resume, and a forged English language proficiency report as part of his visa application.
Once granted the student visa, Ojedeji was able to obtain a Social Security card, a Missouri driver’s license, a bank account, and housing. He also received a stipend and a tuition waiver from the university, totaling more than $49,000.
However, after failing to attend classes or engage in any research activities, Ojedeji was dismissed from the program in January 2024, which led to the termination of his student visa. Despite this, prosecutors say he continued to use the invalid visa to acquire a state driver’s license on February 26, 2024.
The investigation into Ojedeji’s activities began after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service received reports of victims in a romance fraud scheme sending packages of cash and gift cards to Ojedeji’s partner. Authorities tracked 35 Express Mail packages sent between December 19, 2023, and January 4, 2024, that were linked to Nigerian IP addresses.
A subsequent court-authorized search of Ojedeji’s home uncovered packages related to a Nigerian romance fraud scheme. In total, 193 packages were sent to the home via Postal Services Express Mail, Federal Express, and United Parcel Service during Ojedeji’s relationship with the woman. Seventeen of these packages contained $94,150 in cash and gift cards, while prosecutors estimate the total intended loss to be over $1 million.
Despite pleading guilty to immigration and wire fraud charges, Ojedeji has denied any involvement in the romance fraud scheme.
Ojedeji is scheduled for sentencing on July 10. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while the immigration fraud charge could add up to an additional 10 years and a similar fine. The judge will determine the final penalties and losses during sentencing.
