Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, a Nigerian medical doctor, has denied accusations of defrauding vulnerable citizens by charging exorbitant fees for fraudulent UK work visas, insisting that he is only helping Nigerians find legitimate job opportunities overseas.
An investigation by the BBC’s Africa Eye alleged that Alaneme, through his agency CareerEdu, charged up to $13,000 for fake job placements in the UK care sector.
The investigation revealed secretly recorded footage of Alaneme attempting to recruit an undercover journalist as an agent, promising substantial financial rewards in return.
The alleged scam reportedly took advantage of the UK’s Health and Care Worker visa program, which requires applicants to obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed employer.
The BBC’s findings suggested that fraudulent agents, including Alaneme, exploited job seekers’ desperation by selling CoS for non-existent jobs.
Between July 2022 and December 2024, the UK government revoked over 470 care sector licenses, impacting the employment of more than 39,000 foreign medical professionals and care workers.
One company, Efficiency for Care, was found to have issued 1,234 CoS but had far fewer actual employees before its sponsorship license was revoked in July 2023.
A Nigerian victim, identified as Praise, claimed to have paid Alaneme more than £10,000 ($13,000) for a care job with Efficiency for Care, only to discover upon arrival that the job did not exist.
In his response to the accusations, Alaneme denied any fraudulent activity, asserting that CareerEdu had successfully assisted over 5,000 Nigerians in relocating to countries such as Australia, Canada, and the U.S.
He emphasized that his agency connects qualified individuals with licensed employers and offers refunds to applicants who are unsuccessful in securing jobs.
Supporters of Alaneme have come to his defense, with one former classmate describing him as a highly intelligent and religious person who would not be involved in any form of fraud.