Real Housewives of Atlanta viewers met Simon Guobadia as Porsha Williams’ shocking love interest. All fans really knew about him was he was a Nigerian businessman who couldn’t keep a marriage together. Simon and Porsha have been going through a messy divorce which will play out on RHOA. However, Simon is back in the news due to the President’s crackdown on immigration. News broke that he was being held by ICE. Here’s what we know.
Simon Guobadia is an alleged scammer
Since 2007, the 59-year-old has made his money as the founder of Simon & Company — now called Simcol Petroleum Limited Company. Simon’s company supplies refined fuels in the southeast United States. Before becoming his own boss, the father of five worked as a CPA. Court documents showed that Simon had been denied American citizenship multiple times after the government learned he was a Nigerian scammer with multiple convictions for credit card fraud and identity theft.
It was reported that Simon moved to the USA on a six-month visa in 1982. But he returned to Nigeria in 1985 after overstaying the same visa. Simon then went on to marry his first wife, an American citizen named, Karron English. He then applied for “Adjustment of Status” in 1985. However, Simon was denied citizenship because the government believed the marriage to be a sham after his ex told INS they never lived together or consummated their marriage. Simon left the country voluntarily. But he re-entered the U.S. again in 1986 on another visitor’s visa, and once again, he overstayed his six-month visa.
Simon Guobadia has been in trouble before
The hits kept coming for Simon, who, in 1987 was arrested for bank and credit card fraud. He pled guilty to all the felony charges. Still in the country in 1989, Simon was arrested again, but this time for unauthorized use of a vehicle, and in 1990 for fraud. Finally, the Immigration and Naturalization Service started deporting proceedings against Simon. In 1991 he was accused of committing credit card fraud. And in 1992, he was forcibly removed from the United States by a judge’s order.
Simon’s story gets messier. In 1988, he applied for temporary resident status under a special Immigration program called Special Agricultural Worker (SAW). However, he used a fake identity for the application and did not reveal he has a criminal history. The program allowed Simon to get a green card in 1992 but under fraudulent circumstances. This happened just 26 days after he was deported from the country under another identity. Fast forward to 2016 when Simon applied for “naturalization under his second identity.” When he went to submit an application to transition his green card status to U.S. citizenship, he was denied because “his temporary resident status was unlawfully granted.”
Simon Guobadia is being held by ICE
Us Weekly reported that Simon had been detained amid mass deportations that took place all over the country. According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s records, Simon is being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. Simon’s status is listed as “in ICE custody,” which means he is being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. President Trump signed a mass deportation plan when he came into office. Under the order, “illegal immigrants could be deported back to their home countries.” After being denied citizenship in January 2024 for the final time, Simon seemed unphased as he posted on social media. While playing golf, he wrote, “Happy Tuesday to all who ever overcame and persevered in life. You are winning?????? #42yearsLivinginAmerica”
The businessman’s Instagram profile still reads “global citizen” in an attempt to be cheeky. Simon’s estranged wife, Porsha is distancing herself from the news. In an Instagram Story, she wrote “It’s disheartening to see my estranged husband make choices that have led to this outcome. At this moment, my priority is moving forward with my family.” There is no doubt that Porsha and some of Simon’s story will play out on the newest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK SIMON SHOULD BE DEPORTED?
