Rasheed Abiodun Akanni, Marriage Fraud, Lying to a Federal Officer, Failure to Appear for Trial, Rhode Island 2017

Rasheed Abiodun Akanni, 42, a Nigerian national, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for his role in a marriage fraud scheme, lying to a federal officer, and failure to appear for trial.

Akanni’s sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations for New England Matthew J. Etre.

According to the government’s evidence, Akanni entered the United States from Nigeria on June 3, 2003, on a six-month visitor for pleasure visa. He never left the United States and made several unsuccessful attempts to gain legal status.

In 2013, Akanni began a romantic relationship with an American woman and was married in a civil ceremony on February 14, 2013. However, the couple lived in separate residences until jointly renting an apartment in June 2013. Further investigation revealed that Akanni’s wife told investigators that he only stayed at their joint residence on average three or four nights a week.

Akanni informed his wife that he would be filing an application for lawful permanent residence based on their marriage. However, during an interview with USCIS officers, Akanni made false statements about the state of his marriage and his residence, claiming that he resided with his wife and that the residence he was at on the day he was interviewed was his sister’s. The investigation determined that Akanni actually shared the residence with a woman with whom he fathered a child.

Akanni was convicted on April 20, 2017, as charged in indictments returned by federal grand juries on September 13, 2016, and April 6, 2017. He was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison on [date] and will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his term of incarceration.

The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of imprisonment in this matter is 12-18 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 12 months in prison.