26-year-old Mercy Ojedeji illegally secured university admission, government documents, benefits, and a $49,000 stipend through a falsified student-visa scheme.
A 26-year-old Nigerian national, Mercy Ojedeji, has been sentenced to 41 months in a United States federal prison after being found guilty of fraudulently obtaining a student visa and using it to access multiple benefits she was not legally entitled to.
According to U.S. court documents, Ojedeji unlawfully secured admission into the University of Missouri, after which she also obtained a Social Security card, a state driver’s licence, a bank account, and an apartment — all under false pretenses. She additionally received a stipend of $49,000, funds meant for legitimate students enrolled under approved programs.
Investigators revealed that Ojedeji’s actions were part of a broader scheme to exploit the U.S. student-visa system, allowing her to live, study, and receive financial benefits without meeting the legal requirements.
The court handed down the 41-month sentence as a deterrent against immigration-related fraud and to reinforce the insistence on lawful compliance within the American academic and immigration systems.
Ojedeji will remain in federal custody and faces possible deportation upon completion of her prison term.
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