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FBI To Seize Nigeria Man Assets For Defrauding Trump-Vance Inaugural Funds
https://osazuwaakonedo.news/fbi-to-seize-nigeria-man-assets-for-defrauding-trump-vance-inaugural-funds/05/07/2025/
#World News #EFCC #FBI #Nigeria #Trump #US #Vance ©July 5th, 2025 ®July 5, 2025 2:41 pm United States, US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI has filed a lawsuit against a Nigeria citizen, Ehiremen Aigbokhan for allegedly defrauding the US President, Donald Trump and his Vice, JD Vance the sum of ₦460 million by thus sending fake email messages to US citizens in December 2024 to contribute and help to fund the presidential inauguration ceremony of Trump and Vance, this notwithstanding, Nigeria Government has shown great commitment in helping the United States and other countries in the world recovered funds stolen by Nigerians from Foreigners as it was evidenced in one of such occasions earlier this year when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC handed over billions of naira equivalent to Charles Smith, the Legal Attache of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI at the Embassy of the United States in Nigeria and representatives of other countries whose citizens were victims of cybercrimes committed by Nigerians, while the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukayode also used the occasion of the handing over ceremony to call and appealed to foreign countries to always help recover and restitute Nigerians who are victims of fraud committed by citizens of other countries. #OsazuwaAkonedo
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0:00
United States US Federal Bureau of
0:03
Investigation FBI has filed a lawsuit
0:06
against a Nigeria citizen Hearman Bokan
0:09
for allegedly defrauding the US
0:11
President Donald Trump and his vice JD
0:14
Vance the sum of 460 million naira by
0:17
thus sending fake email messages to US
0:20
citizens in December 2024 to contribute
0:23
and help to fund the presidential
0:25
inauguration ceremony of Trump and
0:28
Vance. This notwithstanding, Nigeria
0:30
government has shown great commitment in
0:33
helping the United States and other
0:35
countries in the world recovered funds
0:37
stolen by Nigerians from foreigners as
0:40
it was evidenced in one of such
0:41
occasions earlier this year when the
0:43
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
0:46
EFCC handed over billions of naira
0:49
equivalent to Charles Smith, the legal
0:51
atache of the US Federal Bureau of
0:53
Investigation FBI at the Embassy of the
0:56
United States in Nigeria. and
0:58
representatives of other countries whose
1:00
citizens were victims of cyber crimes
1:02
committed by Nigerians. While the EFCC
1:05
chairman Olo Alaki also used the
1:08
occasion of the handing over ceremony to
1:10
call and appealed to foreign countries
1:12
to always help recover and restitute
1:14
Nigerians who are victims of fraud
1:17
committed by citizens of other
1:18
countries. People's Gazette News Media
1:21
reported that the court documents as
1:23
seen by the media. The Federal Bureau of
1:26
Investigation filed a civil forfeite
1:28
complaint to seize property belonging to
1:30
Lagos-based suspected fraudster and
1:33
Aboken for allegedly stealing more than
1:36
460 million naira in funds meant for US
1:39
President Donald Trump's 2025
1:42
inauguration.
1:43
The FBI is also actively pursuing an
1:46
arrest warrant for Mr. a bachan in
1:48
connection with a cryptocurrency fraud
1:50
and money laundering scheme that
1:52
targeted a donor intending to contribute
1:54
to the Trump Vance inaugural committee.
1:57
According to legal filings seen by
1:59
People's Gazette, Mr. Abokan and his
2:02
co-conspirators carried out a
2:03
sophisticated fraudulent operation using
2:05
the notorious business email compromise
2:08
scheme to trick their victims into
2:09
sending money to cryptocurrency accounts
2:12
belonging to them. In the weeks leading
2:14
up to the inauguration on January 20th,
2:17
2025, the FBI reported that fraudsters
2:20
created several fake email addresses to
2:23
mimic the legitimate ones used for the
2:25
ceremony, which they sent to dozens of
2:27
people requesting donations for Mr.
2:29
Trump's swearing in ceremony. On
2:32
December 26th, 2024, one of these fake
2:36
emails with the address at t47laneal.com
2:40
was sent to a victim to mimic at
2:41
t47augural.com,
2:44
the official email of the co-chair of
2:46
the Trump Vance inaugural committee,
2:48
Steve Wiktoff. The victim subsequently
2:51
sent 250,300
2:54
USDT head to the criminals. The 250,300
3:00
USDT had is estimated to be worth over
3:03
400 million naira at the current black
3:06
market rate. Within days of receiving
3:09
the money, the perpetrators immediately
3:11
dispersed 215,000
3:14
USDT. as to several crypto wallets
3:16
before the FBI caught wind of the scam
3:19
and requested crypto operator Tether to
3:21
freeze the accounts, which the company
3:23
voluntarily adhered to on December 31st,
3:26
court documents showed. Following the
3:29
scam, the FBI immediately launched an
3:32
investigation into the matter, and
3:34
records of the crypto address associated
3:36
with the scheme were traced back to Mr.
3:38
Abokan in Lagos. Investigations by the
3:42
FBI revealed that part of the stolen
3:44
funds were transferred to a Binance.com
3:47
account registered to Mr. Abokan, who
3:49
created the account in October 2024.
3:53
The Binance account had no prior
3:55
deposits before receiving transfers from
3:57
the scam wallet. Further digital
3:59
forensics linked the fraudulent email
4:02
accounts and cryptocurrency transactions
4:04
to Nigeria with IP address data
4:06
consistently tracing login and email
4:09
activity to Lagos corroborating the
4:11
connection to Mr. Abokan. The agency
4:14
said 20,17
4:16
USDT
4:18
was seized from Mr. a Boken's wallet and
4:21
another 20,336
4:24
USDT at from hexadimal C7BDBA7
4:28
FFB126F688454C
4:33
totaling over 60 million naira in black
4:35
market rate which Rick Lock Jr. The
4:38
assistant US attorney for the District
4:40
of Colombia is asking the court to
4:43
declare its forfeite. The Economic and
4:46
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the
4:49
government agency against Internet Fraud
4:51
and all other fraudulent practices in
4:53
Nigeria is yet to issue any statement
4:55
over the media report. It would be
4:58
recalled that the EFCC assisted the US
5:01
and other foreign countries whose
5:02
citizens were defrauded by Nigerians,
5:05
recovered the stolen funds, and returned
5:07
the recovered loot to the US and other
5:09
countries on one of such occasions on
5:11
February 21st, 2025, which EFCC handed
5:16
over a total sum of $132,36243
5:19
[Music]
5:23
78,566,3
5:26
324 naira and 81 koos to American,
5:31
Spanish and Swiss victims of local
5:33
fraudsters. The commission described the
5:36
move as a gesture of its commitment to
5:38
tackling economic and financial crimes
5:40
and offering restitution to victims of
5:42
fraudulent practices. According to a
5:45
statement by the EFCC, the handover was
5:48
performed by its chairman Ola Ooyade on
5:51
Friday, February 21st, 2025 at the
5:54
EFCC's corporate headquarters in Jabi,
5:57
Abuja. EFCC chairman Ola Ooy speaking
6:02
during the presentation said that the
6:04
event is a demonstration of the
6:06
commitment of the federal government of
6:08
Nigeria and that of President Bola Ahmed
6:10
Tonubu to the fight against corruption
6:12
and financial crimes. A commitment to
6:15
good governance, a commitment to
6:17
stimulating the economy and a commitment
6:19
to prove to the entire world that
6:21
Nigeria is not a safe haven for
6:23
financial crimes. A commitment to
6:26
international cooperation and
6:27
international synergy in the fight
6:29
against financial crimes, which you will
6:31
agree with me, has become a global
6:34
crime. The statement also read, "We are
6:37
here to demonstrate that the federal
6:39
government of Nigeria through the
6:41
Economic and Financial Crimes
6:42
Commission, EFCC, is ready to do
6:45
everything possible to prevent financial
6:47
crimes from being perpetrated in our
6:49
system. and when one has taken place to
6:53
investigate where assets are involved to
6:55
trace to recover and where necessary
6:58
prosecute. We don't just recover we
7:01
restitcute the victims. We are here this
7:03
morning to restitute those who were
7:05
victimized through the perpetration of
7:07
economic and financial crimes. It is
7:10
important to know that once the proceeds
7:12
of crime are recovered, the most
7:14
responsible thing to do is to restitute
7:16
the victims. handed over in addition to
7:19
money of vehicles and real estate to
7:21
citizens of Spain, the United States of
7:24
America and Switzerland. Acting
7:26
ambassador of Spain to Nigeria, Maria
7:29
Higen Velasco received the sum of $1,300
7:33
and evidence of 30 million naira already
7:35
transferred to the Embassy of Spain in
7:37
Nigeria for onward transmission to a
7:39
victim, Maria Del Rosario San Jose.
7:43
Floren Gil, Senior Political Officer,
7:46
First Secretary, Embassy of Switzerland
7:48
received $100,1143
7:53
$100,1143
7:56
on behalf of a victim. Chanti Helen
7:59
Lavveni, formerly known as Chanti Helen
8:01
Ma. Charles Smith, legal attache,
8:05
Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI,
8:08
Embassy of the United States, received
8:11
the sum of $7,344
8:15
$7,344
8:18
7,963,483
8:20
[Music]
8:23
naira and 35 coos 7,963,483
8:28
[Music]
8:30
naira 35 coobo and bitcoin
8:33
cryptocurrency valued at $4,470
8:38
$4,470
8:40
on behalf of the United States embassy
8:43
in Nigeria for onward transmission to a
8:45
victim Maria Jesus Brockl. Also received
8:49
by Smith was Mercedes-Benz E554
8:52
MATIC chassis number WDDHF9A
8:56
B6A11112
9:00
Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG with chassis
9:03
number WDD20
9:06
J0641
9:08
F282467
9:11
and one residential bungalow located at
9:13
1719th Seaman Street. Unuameo, Kaduna,
9:18
Kaduna State on behalf of the United
9:21
States Embassy in Nigeria for onward
9:23
transmission to the crime victim.
9:26
Additionally, Smith received the sum of
9:28
$7,527
9:31
$7,527
9:34
on behalf of the United States Embassy
9:37
in Nigeria for onward transmission to
9:39
the victim of the crime, Michael Smith.
9:42
He also received the sum of $11,710
9:47
$111,710
9:50
on behalf of the United States Embassy
9:52
in Nigeria for onward transmission to
9:54
the crime victim Williams. Lastly, Smith
9:59
received the sum of 32,639,358
10:03
[Music]
10:04
naira and 11 coos 32,639,358
10:09
[Music]
10:11
naira 11 coobo on behalf of the United
10:14
States Embassy in Nigeria for onward
10:16
transmission to the crime victim Marva
10:19
Maro. In her remarks, her excellency
10:22
Velasco expressed gratitude, adding,
10:25
"This is a sign of the collaboration
10:27
between Nigeria and Spain, and we are
10:29
very grateful for this collaboration."
10:32
Smith said, "As the FBI legal attache
10:35
and the representative of the US
10:37
government, I want to say we personally
10:39
appreciate this. Many here may not
10:42
understand what the impact this has to
10:44
the victims. This gives them complete
10:46
closure and it allows them to feel whole
10:49
again. So we really do appreciate and we
10:52
thank the EFCC.
10:54
The EFCC is just not operating in
10:57
Nigeria. The EFCC is a major global
11:00
contender and you should recognize that
11:02
every time. On behalf of the government
11:05
of Switzerland, he'll thank the
11:07
government of Nigeria and EFCC for the
11:10
recovery and restitution. I thank the
11:12
Nigerian government and especially the
11:15
EFCC for the work they have done to
11:17
combat internet fraud and other
11:19
financial crimes. Today's restitution of
11:22
money obtained from a Swiss citizen
11:24
demonstrates the effectiveness but also
11:26
integrity, professionalism, courage and
11:29
collaboration that occur between Nigeria
11:31
and Switzerland. So, thank you for this
11:34
exemplary collaboration and work in
11:36
making the digital world safer and
11:38
better regulated. Switzerland will
11:41
continue to work alongside the Nigerian
11:43
government in the service of the
11:45
security of our respective people. So
11:48
thank you again. He said the permanent
11:51
secretary the foreign affairs ministry
11:54
Umar Ahmed thanked Oloyade for his
11:57
efforts in the anti-corruption fight and
11:59
conveyed the felicitation of the
12:00
honorable minister foreign affairs Ysef
12:03
Tuger and the ministry to the EFCC and
12:06
the Nigerian government. According to
12:08
him, this is really an unprecedented
12:10
development and you cannot believe the
12:12
impact that this development will have
12:14
on the mandate of the ministry because
12:16
it makes our work a whole lot easier
12:18
because it really enhances the
12:20
credibility of Nigeria in the
12:22
international scene and it will also go
12:25
a long way in restoring investors
12:27
confidence in the country and the
12:29
ministry is very well with you in
12:31
pursuing this mandate and want to thank
12:33
you for this initiative. It demonstrates
12:36
the support of our president Bola Ahmed
12:39
Tonubu in the fight against corruption
12:40
and also in strengthening the EFCC in
12:43
carrying out its mandate. All of us in
12:46
the ministry are really happy with this
12:48
development and we'll keep on working
12:50
with you and supporting you and in
12:52
carrying your mandate.
12:57
bringing you the news in a more digital
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