Ten people have been jailed for a total of 16 years for trying to organise an international sham marriage conspiracy which centred on three churches in Nottingham.

The scam first came to light after UK Border Agency officers stopped a suspected sham marriage between a Dutch national, Ramsley De Kaster and a Nigerian woman, Folfolashade Ladapo, at St Stephen's with St Paul's church, Bobbersmill Road, Nottingham on 10th October 2010.

The bogus bride and groom pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breach immigration law and were jailed for 12 months and 18 months respectively on 25th October 2010.

A specialist UK Border Agency crime team, comprised of immigration and seconded police officers, started an investigation which uncovered 16 sham marriages that had taken place at St Aiden's church in Baseford, Nottingham involving Dutch and Nigerian nationals.

On 2nd March 2011 officers visited addresses in Nottingham, London and Kent. Dutch police officers also raided addresses in Rotterdam and Tilburg on the same day.

The suspected ringleader, Phillips Onikoyi, a 34-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested in Nottingham along with suspected bogus brides, and fellow Nigerian nationals, Esther Abiola Idowu and Olujamoki Ikoyi.

Isaac Onikoyi, a Nigerian man, was arrested in Ramsgate on 2nd March 2011 while another Nigerian man, Olushola Oshingbade was arrested in Lewisham a few weeks later.

On 2nd March 2011 Wensley Quirindongo, a Dutch man, was arrested in the Netherlands. Four other Dutch nationals were arrested in a follow up operation in the Netherlands on 16th March 2011.
All the five Dutch nationals were extradited to the UK to stand trial along with the other five suspects.

On 19th September 2011 all of those charged pleaded guilty except Olujamoki Ikoyi.

Phillips Onikoyi, of Stanley Road, Nottingham, was sentenced to five years. Esther Idowu, of Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham, Isaac Onikoyi and Olushola Oshingbade received 12 months each, while the five Dutch nationals were each sentenced to 18 months.

Ikoyi who had taken part in a sham marriage at St Paul's Church, Carlton, Nottingham, was on 1st February 2012 found guilty of conspiracy to breach immigration law and sentenced to two years at Leicester Crown Court.

A sham marriage typically occurs when a non European national marries someone from the European Economic Area, including the Netherlands and the UK, as a means of attempting to gain long term residency and the right to work and claim benefits in the UK.

“We are pleased that this major international investigation has resulted in significant sentences being handed down to all members of this organised crime group who attempted to breach immigration law,” said Pete Copple, from the UK Border Agency's immigration crime team. “We will continue to crack down on criminal gangs that try to profit from organising sham marriages. Anyone attempting to benefit illegally from the privileges of life in the UK faces prison and deportation.”

The judge praised the UK Border Agency officers for a very thorough and comprehensive investigation into a wide-ranging international conspiracy.