Dada Taofiki Olaniyan, a security guard based in London, has been caught fraudulently lending his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to an unknown man, allowing the individual to work in his place while Olaniyan received payment for shifts he did not perform.
The fraudulent activity was uncovered in January 2020 during a routine inspection at the Ronald McDonald Charity House in London, a location where security is essential to protect vulnerable families. Investigators discovered that someone else was using Olaniyan’s SIA licence to gain access and work.
Further inquiries revealed that Olaniyan had not worked at the charity since 2019 but continued to collect payments for shifts he never attended.
On 1 July 2024, Kingston Crown Court found Olaniyan guilty of the offence and sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months. During a hearing in December, it was disclosed that Olaniyan had illegally earned nearly £9,000 through this scheme. The Security Industry Authority will recover the full amount under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
In addition to the suspended sentence, Olaniyan was ordered to pay £5,860 in costs and a £140 victim surcharge. He has also lost his SIA licence and now has a criminal record.
Nicola Bolton, Criminal Investigations Manager at the SIA, condemned the abuse of trust, stating, “SIA licence holders are trained and vetted to hold positions of authority and trust. Olaniyan abused this position and used his licence fraudulently to allow an unknown, untrained, and unlicensed individual to work protecting vulnerable families.”
Bolton added, “Olaniyan has lost his licence and now has a criminal record. This prosecution is a lesson to anyone thinking of committing fraud that crime does not pay.” The SIA confirmed that the recovered funds will be used to support good causes across the UK.
This case highlights the critical importance of maintaining strict licence integrity within the security industry, especially when safeguarding vulnerable people. Olaniyan’s conviction serves as a strong warning that fraudulent activities will be rigorously investigated and punished.
Originally published by UKNIP.
