The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has asked a U.S. court for leniency after admitting guilt in a $4.2m COVID-19 loan fraud, citing the pandemic’s impact.
The Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has pleaded for leniency before a U.S. court after admitting guilt in a $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fraud case. In a sentencing memorandum filed on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, his lawyers argued the pandemic contributed to his actions, though they stopped short of excusing the crime.
“COVID-19 affected all of us differently. Conduct that we would never expect from ourselves or others sometimes manifested itself as we encountered a completely different society,” the monarch’s counsel said, stressing that he showed remorse and accepted responsibility.
Oloyede, 62, was arrested in Cleveland in May 2024 for allegedly using six companies to file fraudulent loan applications under U.S. pandemic relief programs. Prosecutors seized property in Ohio and $96,000 from his company’s account.
His sentencing is scheduled for August 26, 2025. Meanwhile, his absence has left Ipetumodu without active traditional leadership, creating uncertainty over succession.