Jury: Gwinnett Man Guilty Of Immigration Fraud

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A naturalized U.S. citizen living in Lawrenceville has been found guilty of immigration fraud.

Olu Kanni Sanyaolu, 54, was convicted by a jury of lying about having been denied citizenship previously, when he filed to live in the country under another name.

"When someone engages in fraud and presents false information to become a naturalized citizen, it compromises the integrity and security of the naturalization process," said U.S. Attorney John A. Horn. "The jury found the defendant completely subverted the process that allows immigrants to become citizens."

The jury found that when Sanyaolu, originally from Nigeria, applied for U.S. citizenship, he concealed the fact that he had been previously deported from the country. That fact makes him ineligible to apply for citizenship.

In April 2009, Sanyaolu filed an application for naturalization with U.S. immigration officials. To finalize the application, an immigration officer interviewed him on July 20, 2009. In the interview, Sanyaolu stated under oath that he had never used another identity, and that he had never previously been ordered deported.

Several years later, immigration officials discovered through a fingerprint match that Sanyaolu was actually Kunle Sanya Olukanni.

The evidence presented at trial revealed that before the defendant applied to become a naturalized citizen, he had unsuccessfully applied for asylum and permanent resident status using the name Kunle Olukanni, and had been ordered deported from the U.S. in 1998.

He then assumed a new identity, using the name Olu Kanni Sanyaolu, and successfully applied for political asylum, claiming to be a member of the Nigerian Air Force who was persecuted and tortured after a political coup.

Because of this conviction, Sanyaolu will automatically lose his citizenship status.

"Identity fraud by those seeking to enter the United States poses a serious potential threat to national security and is one of the most important investigative focuses of Homeland Security Investigations," said Nick S. Annan, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta. "HSI is firmly committed to stopping criminals who seek to exploit our nation’s welcoming policy toward legal immigrants by engaging in fraud or deceit, and this case highlights the serious consequences awaiting anyone considering an attempt to cheat the system."

Sanyaolu was convicted on Thursday. Sentencing is scheduled for October 5, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge William S. Duffey, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly K. Connors is prosecuting the case.

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