US Atty: Marriage Fraud: Nigerian National Wed to Stay in US

PROVIDENCE, RI—Rasheed Abiodun Akanni, 42, a Nigerian national residing in Pawtucket, R.I., was found guilty on Thursday "of entering into a marriage with a U.S. citizen for the purpose of evading deportation," the U.S. Attorney's office said. Marriage fraud was not the only charge he faced in federal court in Providence. He was also found guilty of making false statements to a federal officer. He also tried to skip when he was ordered to appear before the U.S. District Court per his conditions of release. His sentencing on all three convictions is set for July 17.

According to court records, Akanni came to the U.S. from Nigeria on June 3, 2003. He was traveling on a six-month visitor for pleasure visa. But he never left the United States. Over the past 14 years, he made "several unsuccessful attempts to gain legal status," the U.S. Attorney's office said.

On July 13, 2007, Akanni filed for lawful permanent resident status as the spouse of an American woman. The woman later withdrew her support for Akanni’s application. Then on November 23, 2010, he filed a petition for asylum, which stayed removal proceedings.

In the fall of 2012 he connected with an American woman, whom he later married in a civil ceremony on February 14, 2013. He and his wife lived in separate residences until June 2013 when they rented an apartment together.

"However, Akanni’s wife told investigators that he only stayed at their joint residence on average three or four nights a week," the office continued. That arrangement lasted two months, and then she asked Akanni to move out.

In October 2013, he "informed his wife that he would be filing an application for lawful permanent residence based on their marriage," the U.S. Attorney said. "His wife testified she was unaware that her husband was not a legal resident of the United States, but that she agreed to support his application for legal status. In September 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers interviewed Akanni and his wife separately. On May 6, 2015, USCIS officers again interviewed both individuals separately. Further investigation determined that Akanni and his wife gave conflicting answers during the second interview as to the state of their marriage. While Akanni’s wife told USCIS investigators that her marriage to Akanni was not good and that she would be seeking a divorce, Akanni made false statements to the officers as to the state of his marriage and his residence."

Among the false statements, the prosecutors said, "Akanni claimed that he resided with his wife and that the residence he was at on the day he was interviewed was his sisters. The investigation determined that Akanni actually shared the residence with a woman with whom he fathered a child. The child was born on February 13, 2016."

He was indicted on September 13, 2016 by a federal grand jury. The charges were entering into a marriage with a U.S. citizen for the purpose of evading deportation and making false statements to a federal officer. But he was released pending his trial. The trial was supposed to start Jan. 30, 2017. He didn't show up in court, so an arrest warrant was issued.

He was caught on his way into Canada.

"In the early morning hours of January 31, 2017, Akanni was stopped attempting to enter Canada by officers from the Canada Border Service Agency. At the border, Akanni provided an American passport in another person’s name. Canadian officers returned him to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint in Lewiston, N.Y. U.S. Marshals later returned Akanni to Rhode Island where he remained in federal custody."

Earlier this month, a second federal grand jury indicted him for failure to appear before the U.S. District Court for trial.

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