Oil Executive Indicted For False Tax Returns

Simon Guobadia, a former tax accountant and businessman, was indicted in federal court in Georgia on Tuesday, October 27, for allegedly filing false tax returns. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of aiding in the preparation and filing of returns that underreported his income. An arrest warrant has been issued for Guobadia, though it is unclear if he has been taken into custody.

The indictment alleges Guobadia knowingly understated his earnings across multiple filings. In March 2021, he reportedly filed paperwork showing $0 in taxable income. Federal prosecutors claim he knew his businesses generated millions of dollars during that period. His company, Simcol Petroleum Limited, is said to have generated more than $45 million in gross sales that year.

A second alleged discrepancy occurred in July 2021. Guobadia reported $58,231 in taxable income, according to court documents. Simcol Petroleum Limited listed nearly $31 million in gross sales for that period. The government asserts Guobadia understood his taxable income and the company’s total sales were substantially higher than the reported figures.

Guobadia has publicly disputed the charges, stating that the Department of Justice misinterpreted his financial records. In a statement, he cited his background as a Certified Public Accountant to argue he understands the weight of the accusations. He said, “I am also completely confident that the U.S. Department of Justice got this wrong.”

He defended his reporting practices by pointing to the specific economics of the oil industry. Guobadia argued that his deductions for federal taxes and costs are independently verifiable. “Anyone who knows the oil industry will tell you our margins are thin,” he said. He maintained that high gross sales figures do not equate to high taxable profits in his sector.

The indictment has intensified legal and public scrutiny of Guobadia’s recent personal history. He was previously married to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Porsha Williams. The pair married in November 2022 and divorced in June 2025 after Williams filed in February 2024. Williams secured a seven-figure settlement and the couple’s Atlanta mansion during the proceedings.

The divorce was complicated by immigration issues. Guobadia was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while returning to the United States for a hearing. He was deported to Nigeria in 2025 and cannot legally re-enter the country until further notice. Williams told PEOPLE that discovering these “complex” issues and what she described as dishonesty prompted her to file for divorce.

Williams alleged in court filings that Guobadia failed to disclose his criminal history and immigration status. Her attorney wrote that she began to question her initial beliefs about his character and business dealings after learning of his history. Guobadia countered that they had “no issues” as a couple and that Williams was citing events from his past that he had spent 35 years addressing.