Who ARE you? Wife of 22 years pleads with husband to reveal his true identity – but he refuses



A father stole the name of another man and used it for 22 years, not even revealing the truth to his wife and child.

In a case that draws parallels to the plot of the hit TV hit series Mad Men, 'Mark Akintola' has refused to tell his wife who he really is, despite being unmasked in court.

He used the stolen name to apply for passports and obtain jobs in London, as well as to get married and bring up a daughter, who is now 17.

In U.S. series Mad Men, lead character Don Draper assumes his name after stealing it from a dead comrade in the Korean War, but keeps wife Betty in the dark.



Secretive: The case draws parallels with the hit TV series Mad Men in which Don Draper, right, keeps his true identity secret from wife Betty

The real Mr Akintola moved to the United States in 1979 and had no idea someone had been using his identity in the UK.

It was only in September this year when the thief applied for a passport renewal and officials double checked his credentials that the lie was uncovered.



The man - still insisting on using the name Akintola - was jailed for two years after admitting a string of fraud offences at Southwark Crown Court.

As he was led to the cells, his wife, whose name was not revealed in the proceedings, stood up in the well of court and pointed her finger at him.



She shouted: 'Your daughter's got a right to know who you are. You are damn out of order.'



Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said he could understand her feelings, but asked her to leave the court.



Passing sentence, he told the defendant: 'About the one thing I am certain of in this case is that you are not Mark Akintola, but that is the name I am going to sentence you under.



'Some time ago, as long ago as 1988, you adopted this false identity, and you have continued to be in this country in that identity.

Jailed: The defendant, who refused to reveal his real name, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London

'The evidence suggests you lived a law abiding life, save that you have continuously obtained passports or identity documents in that false name.



'I can't ignore the fact that you have broken the law on as many occasions as you have fraudulently obtained proof of identity of being in this country.'



Although the false Mr Akintola's true identity is not known, it is thought he is originally from Nigeria, and he is likely to be deported back there on his release.



Usha Shergill, prosecuting, said the defendant, who claims to be 50-years-old, stole Mr Akintola's identity some time after he emigrated in 1979.



As the real Mark Akintola is a British citizen, he was able to apply for UK documents under his name, obtaining passports in 1991 and 2001.

He married in 1988 under the false name, and his family only discovered that he was not who he claimed to be earlier this year after an immigration official investigated his most recent passport application.



Police raided his home, and found false British and Nigerian passports, again in the name Akintola, as well as a false driving licence.



In interview, the defendant insisted there had been a mix-up, and he was the real Mr Akintola.



Sumita Mahtab-Shaikh, defending, said her client had worked as a kitchen porter and bellhop in various Central London hotels.



She said: 'He has never been in trouble with the police before. He has been working hard and now has a family life in this country as well.'



The defendant, of Sydenham, South East London, admitted obtaining property by deception, fraud and three counts of possessing false ID documents with intent.