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A High Court in Lagos has sentenced two fraudsters to jail for money laundering and fraudulent impersonation, ordering the forfeiture of their vehicles and electronic devices to the Nigerian Government.
Justice F.N. Ogazi, sitting at the High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, convicted Agboola Abdullahi Abiodun and Victor Okonjo after they pleaded guilty to charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft commission said in a statement that its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 arraigned the two men separately on charges bordering on money laundering, cybercrime, and fraudulent impersonation.
Agboola faced three charges, including an allegation that he disguised proceeds from a dating scam by acquiring a black Toyota Venza.
The charge stated that Agboola, “indirectly disguised part of the origin of your illicit gain accrued from your unlawful act to wit: dating scam, to a Black Toyota Venza,” in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Okonjo was separately charged with fraudulently impersonating Aaron Bauer, a male citizen of the United States, allegedly to gain an advantage for himself.
One of the counts accused him of having “fraudulently impersonated one Aaron Bauer a male citizen from United States of America by holding yourself out as such, with the intent to gain advantage for yourself.”
Both defendants pleaded “guilty” when the charges were read.
Following their pleas, EFCC prosecutor F.B. Orilade reviewed the facts of the cases before the court and urged Justice Ogazi to convict and sentence them accordingly.
The judge subsequently found both men guilty.
Agboola was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on count one, one year on count two and another year on count three.
Okonjo received one year imprisonment with an option of a N500,000 fine on count one and four years’ imprisonment on count two.
Justice Ogazi ordered that all the prison terms imposed on both convicts should run concurrently, effective from the dates of their arrests.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the convicts’ mobile phones, laptops, a Toyota Venza and a 2020 Mercedes-Benz to the Nigerian Government.
The judge further directed that the forfeited assets be sold and the proceeds returned to the victims.
Where the victims could not be traced, Justice Ogazi ordered that the proceeds from the sale should instead be paid into the coffers of the Nigerian Government.
The convictions add to the EFCC’s ongoing prosecution of internet-enabled fraud and money laundering cases, particularly offences involving dating scams and fraudulent identities used to obtain financial benefits.
Lagos Court Jails Two for Money Laundering
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentence of two fraudsters before Justice F.N. Ogazi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for money… pic.twitter.com/E4CHC29e4d
— EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) August 28, 2026
