Surprise! Surprise! African Civil Servant Helps Illegals For Cash

A civil servant employed by the Department of Works and Pensions, who helped friends and family illegally enter and work in the U.K. –charging a total of £149,000 for his services - has been locked up for five years.

He also provided a ‘one-stop-shop’ to assist strangers – eventually helping 64 illegal immigrants to gain work as security guards and care workers – directly enabling a dozen of them to enter the country illegally.

Adekunle Odunayo Aladenika, 43, of Fawcett Estate, Clapton Common, Clapton, East London, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in a judicial or public office, conspiracy to obtain passports by deception and conspiracy to obtain a passport by deception.

An investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Fraud Squad revealed that between March 2003 and March 2007, Aladenika was providing a comprehensive service to assist anyone wishing to enter the UK.

Not only was he sponsoring visa applications, but he was signing off applications for national insurance numbers for people who were ineligible - having cloned genuine applicants' identities - countersigning their fraudulent UK passport applications, and even providing references for job hunters.

Some of the roles gained by applicants who were verified by Aladenika were those of security guards and care home workers dealing with vulnerable, elderly people.

On September 4, 2007, officers arrested Aladenika and a search of his house revealed blank DWP forms, a stolen passport, and a hand-written list detailing NI numbers of people he had researched and knew were elderly and likely to die soon.

Officers from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command discovered cash deposits totalling £149,000 had been paid into Aladenika’s bank account.

Officers believe that the money was paid to Aladenika by his customers in return for his services.

In some cases he told immigrants to use his own identity while they were living in the UK illegally.

Detective Constable Carl Hughes, of the Metropolitan Police’s Fraud Squad, said: “Aladenika was in a position of trust as a DWP employee and he showed a complete disregard of the law and his duty by catering for the illegal immigrants’ every need.

“The service he was providing facilitated the entry of 12 people illegally into the country, and the fact that he was even charging his own family and friends for his services shows how greedy and callous his behaviour was over this prolonged period of time.

“We will now look to confiscate any assets gained through criminal activity under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

A spokesman for the DWP added: "This successful conviction came about after a joint prosecution between the DWP and the Metropolitan Police.

“The DWP always thoroughly investigate cases where there is any suspicion of wrongdoing.

“Following the investigation the Department notified the police who brought forward criminal charges. 


"The DWP is committed to ensuring any trust placed in their staff is not abused and will take the strongest action where necessary."