PICTORIAL: EFCC Returns $22,000 Recovered From Convicted Fraudster To FBI

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over the sum of $22,000 recovered from a convicted internet fraudster, Hakeem Ayotunde Olanrewaju, to the America’s Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), in Lagos on Friday.

This was confirmed in a statement posted on the verified official X handle of the anti-corruption agency.

It said, “Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, had on August 15, 2023 ordered that the money recovered from Olanrewaju, who was sentenced to two years imprisonment for identity theft and impersonation, be restituted to his victim in the United States of America, U.S.A.”

During the handover ceremony in Lagos, the Acting Director, Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, Michael T. Wetkas, reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to combating crimes and restoring sanity to the nation.

“We are delighted to be handing over this proceeds of crime today.

“The EFCC is willing and always ready to do more.”

Responding, the FBI Legal Attaché, Charles Smith, said: “The EFCC and FBI work collaboratively together, and it is thanks to the EFCC that we can recover funds of this nature, especially from Business Email Compromise, BEC.

“This type of crime cripples businesses in the US, and for them to recover the money within one to two years gives hope to the affected companies and brings some level of justice, even if not all subjects have been identified.

“We hope our relationship continues and fosters a more cohesive partnership between the two agencies. If there’s anything the FBI can do to support this investigation, we will do so.

“We appreciate this on behalf of the FBI and thank the EFCC.”

Present at the event were the Head, Public Affairs, Lagos Zonal Command, DCE Ayo Oyewole; Head, Investigation, ACE I Deborah Oni, and Head, Advance Fee Fraud 1, AFF, CSE Alex Ogbole.

Similarly, others present were the Assistant Legal Attaché, Michael Thomas, and the Foreign Service Investigator, Ayo Solademi.

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