A UK-based Nigerian doctor, Dr. Kelvin Alaneme, has been secretly recorded in an undercover investigation by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), allegedly selling fraudulent job opportunities to foreign nationals.
According to a BBC documentary, Dr. Alaneme, a psychiatrist formerly employed by the National Health Service (NHS), is the founder of CareerEdu, a Harlow, Essex-based agency.
The investigation was launched following multiple online complaints regarding his relocation services.
It is illegal to sell job placements in the UK.
CareerEdu describes itself as a “launchpad for global opportunities catering to young Africans” and claims to have 9,800 satisfied clients.
However, the BBC investigation exposed Dr. Alaneme’s attempts to recruit a BBC journalist, believing she had strong connections in the UK care sector.
He allegedly offered the undercover reporter a role as an agent for his business, promising significant financial rewards for securing care home vacancies.
“Just get me care homes. I can make you a millionaire,” he was quoted as saying.
The BBC further revealed how Dr. Alaneme explained his operation. He reportedly offered to pay £2,000 ($2,600) for each care home vacancy obtained, plus an additional £500 ($650) commission.
Alaneme allegedly intended to sell these job placements to candidates in Nigeria, despite knowing they were supposed to be free.
“They [the candidates] are not supposed to be paying because it’s free. It should be free,” he reportedly admitted. “They are paying because they know it’s most likely the only way.”
A Nigerian man, identified as Praise, claimed he paid over £10,000 ($13,000) for a job in the UK, believing he would work for a care company called Efficiency for Care in Clacton-on-Sea. Upon arrival, he discovered that the job did not exist.
“If I had known there was no job, I would not have come here,” he lamented. “At least, back home in Nigeria, if I go broke, I can rely on family. Here, you go hungry.”
Despite repeated inquiries to Efficiency for Care and Dr. Alaneme, Praise never received a job placement.
The BBC investigation found discrepancies in Efficiency for Care’s employment records. In 2022, the company employed an average of 16 people, which rose to 152 in 2023. However, a Home Office letter revealed that between March 2022 and May 2023, the company issued 1,234 Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to foreign workers.
In another secretly recorded conversation, Dr. Alaneme explained how sponsorship documents were used for jobs that did not exist.
He falsely claimed that candidates with these certificates could relocate to any UK city of their choice. However, the BBC debunked this, clarifying that working outside the assigned role could lead to visa cancellation and deportation.
Alaneme also allegedly advised on fabricating payroll systems to create the illusion of legitimate employment.
“That [a money trail] is what the government needs to see,” he reportedly stated.
In response to the allegations, Dr. Alaneme strongly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that CareerEdu was not involved in fraudulent activities.
He claimed the money paid by Praise was forwarded to a recruitment agent to cover expenses like transport, accommodation, and training.
He further stated that he had offered to help Praise secure another employer free of charge.
On his X.com page, Dr. Alaneme maintained his innocence, writing, “I have never scammed or defrauded anyone in my life. And I never will.”
He clarified that CareerEdu does not employ care workers but connects qualified individuals with licensed recruiters and employers who issue legitimate Certificates of Sponsorship.
Dr. Alaneme emphasized that while Certificates of Sponsorship are free, some recruiters and employers impose additional charges for training, accommodation, and transportation. He also claimed that unsuccessful clients were refunded any extra costs.
He concluded by stating that every Certificate of Sponsorship issued by employers through CareerEdu was legitimate and that over 98% of individuals placed through the agency had successfully relocated and secured employment in the UK.
