A minicab driver who claimed he was earning just £700 a month but was living a luxury of life in his Nigerian mansion, has been ordered to pay almost £1.2million.
Ovo Mayomi and his wife Juliet Ubiribo were convicted of fraud in 2010 after using an identity and immigration scam to falsely claim £43,000 in benefits.
As well as two money-transferring businesses and bank accounts, investigators also discovered Mayomi owned a fish farm in the country.
Wealth: Fraud investigators found Mayomi owned a large luxurious house (pictured) in Lekki, Lagos worth more than £1million complete with chandeliers and £89,000 worth of sound equipment
Modern: The well-equipped, contemporary kitchen inside Mayomi's plush Nigerian home
Opulent: A chandelier hanging inside the mansion in Lekki, Nigeria
Master bedroom: Mayomi claimed he was earning just £700 a month as a cab driver
Luxurious: The bathroom in Mayomi's Nigerian mansion was fitted with a free-standing bathtub
All mod cons: The mansion was found to be equipped with £89,000 worth of sound equipment
However, the telephone number she gave revealed the man she named as her landlord - Ayiomike Neburagho - was, in fact, her husband Mayomi using a false identity.
At a police interview, Mayomi admitted that while living in Nigeria he had bought the identity of Ayiomike Matthew Neburagho and had entered the UK as him.
Mayomi was also shown a wedding photograph of himself, using the Neburagho identity, marrying a Nigerian woman in the UK.
He admitted he was the groom in the wedding photo but he said he was 'just standing in for someone'.
Ubiribo and Mayomi pleaded guilty to all charges.
Mayomi was jailed for 30 months two years ago and his wife was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.
She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service and be under curfew for four months from 9pm to 6am.
Court orders were signed freezing their assets in the UK and abroad in 2010, and an investigation was launched to find out how much the Nigerian-born couple had gained from their criminal lifestyle and what the extent of their assets was.
Mayomi, of Ashburton, disputed the results of the assets investigation, and a subsequent four-day confiscation hearing took place at Croydon Crown Court.
Imposing: This photograph shows a vast hallway inside Mayomi's Nigerian home
Mansion: The house was fitted with pricey sound equipment, chandeliers, and a vast, contemporary kitchen
Scam: Ubiribo stated she was a single parent to claim housing and council tax benefits to help her pay £900 in rent each month. A visa application by her husband showed Ubiribo had a job in order to support him
On Friday, Judge Nicholas Ainley ruled that Mayomi must pay £1,197,743.54 by 14 March next year. It is one of the largest confiscation orders carried out by a council.
Failure to do so will see him sent to prison for six years, during which time interest will accumulate on his debt, which will remain due following his release. At a hearing in July, a confiscation order was made against Ubiribo for £9,357.42 to be paid by 19 October or face five months in prison.
Investigators had discovered she was the owner of a Rolex watch and a Mercedes Sport Coupi.
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Oh! What a fraud!
ReplyDeleteI think efcc should visit lekki... Lots of 419, ritualist, fraudsters living in the environs... For their source of income and what they do.
ReplyDeleteHe is a Nigerian indeed. However, Nigeriaeye, you guys unfair regards to this issue.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why should the above be published when you know that people in government are stealing, looting daily and you haven't been publishing them with their assets or is it because the young man has no political power?
Be fair in your judgements/publications so that you will be appreciated.
If you read carefully, this crime was prosecuted in the UK. The information was available to all and sundry in the UK. No court in Nigeria has the guts to do the same, so why report what doesn't happen at home?
DeleteIf the same happened here but Nigerian Eye disporortionally were only reporting the "small people" while similar prosecutions of politicos in Nigeria went unpublished, then you would have a point.
Does anyone know where this house is located in Lekki?
ReplyDeleteLooking at d design of dat structurei'm sure it can be found in Union homes estate just after ikate elegushi town on d lekki-epe expressway
DeleteThe auturty shoulld know,thy go out bring disgrace to nigeria, infact he should also be punished here in nigeria too.
ReplyDeleteThe quetion is . Have we punish those fraudsters and those stealing with Pen living with us in Nigeria.?
ReplyDeleteWhen we see somebody stealing bread we quickly pass judgement and kill him at the spot.But do nothing to politician, civil servant and fuel marketers that steal billion...what a country we live...
If the government can investigate this couple, pls tell them to check our rulers our government income in Nigeria out, they all stay in Nigeria sending money to uk, usa, all over the world. Before they get to the post they were using foot wagon, now you see them with Royce, Mercedes, hummer. Nibo niwon ti ri owo. Pls do not take Mayomi and Juliet access let them eat the fruit of UK. after all they are outside Nigeria sending money home, how about people in Nigeria sending dollars, pound sterling,out of the country Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteYes, the UK Govt will also come and help u clean ur Nyansh, Nigerians get the kind of leaders you deserve
ReplyDeleteHello Yemolala4me. and others supporting fraudsters on this page---The fact that politicians steal does not make it right for YOU to steal--I wonder what you people are teaching your children--You should be ashamed of your LOPE-SIDED REASONING
ReplyDelete