US-Based Nigerian Man Arrested by ICE After Evading Deportation Since 1985

Atlanta-based Nigerian businessman Simon Guobadia has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is currently being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. His arrest comes amid President Donald Trump’s latest executive order targeting undocumented immigrants.

Mr. Guobadia, 62, first arrived in the U.S. in 1982 and has had a long history of immigration violations. He was initially declared deportable in 1985 after overstaying his visa. It remains unclear whether he voluntarily left the country or was deported by ICE at the time. However, he returned in 1986 on a work visa, only to overstay once again.

In 1987, Mr. Guobadia, a native of Edo State, Nigeria, was arrested and pleaded guilty to bank and credit card fraud charges. The resolution of that case remains uncertain, but he was arrested twice more by U.S. authorities. In 1992, he was deported to Nigeria, yet managed to return within a month and obtain permanent residency under a different identity, a move that later complicated his citizenship application.

Federal records indicate that his application for U.S. naturalization was denied in 2016 due to the fraudulent nature of his residency status. Multiple appeals against the decision were unsuccessful.

Mr. Guobadia gained media attention in November 2022 when he married Porsha Williams, a reality star from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The lavish wedding ceremonies took place in both Nigeria and the United States. However, their marriage ended in February 2024, with both parties engaging in public disputes on social media.

With his deportation now looming, questions arise regarding the fate of Mr. Guobadia’s assets, including his 15,000-square-foot mansion in Sandy Springs, Georgia. It remains to be seen how his legal and financial affairs will be handled should the U.S. authorities proceed with his removal from the country.