An audacious fraudster who orchestrated a sophisticated property scam while living illegally in Britain has been brought to justice after pocketing nearly £1.5 million from his victims.
Kingsley Ojo, a 49-year-old Nigerian national, exploited Britain's property registration system to brazenly sell homes he had no legal claim to, using the illicit profits to fund an obscenely lavish lifestyle.
The Elaborate Property Heist
Ojo's criminal enterprise was breathtaking in its simplicity and audacity. Posing as the legitimate owner of properties across London, he targeted homes where the owners were absent – particularly those undergoing probate or owned by elderly victims in care homes.
His modus operandi involved:
- Identifying vulnerable properties with absent owners
- Forging documents to assume the owner's identity
- Using fake passports and utility bills to verify his false identity
- Selling the properties quickly to unsuspecting buyers at below-market prices
- Transfer the stolen funds through multiple accounts to avoid detection
A Lifestyle Funded by Fraud
The scale of Ojo's spending reveals a man consumed by greed and arrogance. Police investigations uncovered:
Over £140,000 spent at luxury car dealerships, including payments for an Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz. Thousands poured into high-end watch purchases from prestigious jewellers. Extensive luxury shopping sprees and cash withdrawals funding his extravagant daily life.
A Long History of Deception
Ojo's presence in Britain was itself fraudulent. Having entered the country in 1994 on a six-month visitor visa, he remained illegally after his asylum claim was rejected. Despite being caught working under false identities in 2003 and 2016, he repeatedly avoided removal.
"This case highlights shocking failures in our immigration system," noted Detective Constable James Byrne, who led the investigation. "Ojo manipulated every system designed to protect legitimate homeowners and buyers."
Justice Finally Served
After pleading guilty to multiple fraud and money laundering charges, Ojo was sentenced to eight years imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court. The judge described the crimes as "a systematic and determined effort to steal other people's properties."
Authorities are now pursuing confiscation proceedings to reclaim what remains of the stolen fortune, though much has already been squandered on Ojo's life of luxury.
