A Nigerian man granted asylum in the UK after claiming persecution by Boko Haram for his sexual orientation is now facing a potential jail term for his involvement in a £220,000 parcel fraud scheme, a court has been informed.

Reports from the Telegraph reveal that Saheed Azeez, 33, was implicated in creating a network of individuals who allowed their homes to be used as delivery addresses for parcels obtained through fraudulent means from online sellers. The scam involved receiving goods without payment from platforms such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace, selling them through his brother’s store, and using Bitcoin to distribute the profits among his accomplices.

It is reported that as many as 272 victims lost a collective sum of £220,000 by falling prey to the scheme, which transpired between September 2020 and November 2021. Azeez, a former Yodel delivery driver who had established his own removals company, provided ‘delivery services’ for the fraudsters, who operated using Nigerian phone lines to deceive users of Facebook Marketplace and eBay.

Azeez, who fled Nigeria and obtained asylum in the UK on the grounds of persecution due to his sexuality, settled in Wigan, Greater Manchester, where he fathered children with three different women.

Legal Proceedings

Bolton Crown Court was informed that an investigation was initiated after a surge in the volume of suspicious parcels being dispatched to addresses in north Manchester, all of which were linked to Azeez. The police traced him to a primary school, where he was dropping off one of his children, and seized three smartphones related to the fraud from the child’s school bag.

Prosecutor Andy Evans stated, “The phones were accessed and interrogated, revealing his involvement in the online frauds. It appears these fraudsters would contact victims in the UK selling electronics online and persuade them to send the items before receiving payment.”

Mr. Evans added, “He admits to collecting the parcels sent to those addresses and receiving a share of the profits. The occupants of the addresses were informed of false names in advance when the postman arrived.”

Azeez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and plotting to possess criminal property. He faces a potential jail term of up to six years during sentencing.

‘Deportation Fear’

Several individuals who permitted their addresses to be exploited in the scam will be sentenced at a later date, as some individuals involved remain at large.

The court was informed that certain sellers, under false pretenses, felt compelled to send money to the fraudsters after mistakenly being assured that they would recover their items.

In mitigation, Chloe Fordham, the defense counsel, portrayed Azeez as a minor player in the scam who had been coerced into participation, emphasizing that his role was not sophisticated and his profits were minimal. She expressed his fear of facing deportation, highlighting his parental responsibilities to his three children in the UK and his marriage to the mother of his youngest child. It was also revealed that Azeez identifies as bisexual at present.

Ms. Fordham contended that Azeez initially believed he was engaged in legitimate delivery work, only later realizing the fraudulent nature of the parcels he was handling.

Telegraph