Nigerian Student Pleads Guilty To Defrauding U.S. University Of $49,000

Nigerian Student Pleads Guilty To Defrauding U.S. University Of $49,000

A 24-year-old Nigerian national, Mercy Ojedeji, has pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court to charges of wire fraud and the unlawful use of fraudulent immigration documents, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

The plea was formally entered on Wednesday in St. Louis, Missouri, where Ojedeji admitted to securing admission into the University of Missouri’s PhD program in chemistry under false pretenses during the Fall 2023 academic session…READ MORE…

Court documents reveal that Ojedeji used forged academic transcripts, fabricated recommendation letters, a falsified resume, and a counterfeit English proficiency certificate to obtain a U.S. student visa. With the visa, he was able to acquire a Social Security number, a Missouri driver’s license, open a bank account, secure housing, and receive financial benefits from the university—including a tuition waiver and stipend—valued at more than $49,000.

Despite enrolling in the program, Ojedeji neither attended classes nor participated in academic research. He was ultimately dismissed in January 2024, leading to the revocation of his student visa. However, prosecutors allege that he used the now-invalid visa to apply for a Missouri state driver’s license on February 26, 2024.

The investigation intensified after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service received complaints related to a romance scam, where victims were reportedly sending packages of cash and gift cards to the address of Ojedeji’s romantic partner. Authorities traced 35 express mail packages—sent between December 19, 2023, and January 4, 2024—to Nigerian IP addresses.

Following a court-approved search of the residence, investigators uncovered numerous parcels connected to the fraudulent scheme. In total, 193 packages were sent to the home via the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS during Ojedeji’s relationship with the woman.