Man Remanded Over Alleged $1.24m US Wire Fraud

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded an alleged internet fraudster, Lawrence Folawunmi, who is accused in the US of email compromise, aiding and abetting wire fraud, and wire fraud totalling $1,245,585.97. 97.

The court ordered that Folawunmi be kept behind bars after entertaining an application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) under the Extradition Act (Cap. E 25).

The defendant was arrested by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) based on directives from the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

The indictment arises from a Criminal Case No. 3:21-00276, filed on November 15, 2021, by a US grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville.

The suit was certified by Clerk Mork H. Wildasin and Deputy Clerk Taylor J. Philips.

Prosecutors alleged that the Nigerian allegedly manipulated payment details in at least eight transactions, resulting in the fraudulent transfer of approximately $1.24 million.

In the application, the AGF had urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services pending the hearing and the determination of the Extradition suit filed against him.

The defence lawyer, Wasiu Liadi, did not oppose the request, but asked for an early date to file his responses.

In a short ruling, Justice Aluko granted the application and adjourned the case to January 21, 2026, for the extradition hearing.

In the affidavit filed in support of the extradition hearing, the AGF averred that, “The United States has requested the arrest and extradition of Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi, with supporting documents attached.

“That he is satisfied that provision is made by the laws of the United States of America such that, so long as Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi has not had reasonable opportunity of remaining in Nigeria, he will not be detained or tried in that country for any offence committed before his surrender other than the extradition offence which can be proved by the fact on which his surrender is sought.

“That he is satisfied that the offences in respect of which Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi’s surrender is sought are not offences of a political character. And that he is satisfied that the request for the surrender of Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi was not made for the purpose of prosecuting or punishing him on account of his race, religion, nationality, or political opinions and that the said request was made in good faith and in the interest of justice.

“That Lawrence Olanrewaju Folawunmi, if surrendered, will not be prejudiced at his trial, and he will not be punished, detained or restricted in his personal liberty, by reason of his race, nationality or political opinions.

“That he is satisfied that the offences for which Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi’s surrender is sought are not trivial in nature, or that, having regard to all the circumstances in which the offences were committed. It will not be unjust or oppressive, or be too severe a punishment, to surrender him.

“That he is satisfied that Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi has been accused of the offences for which the surrender is sought. And that there is no criminal proceeding pending against Lawrence Olanrenwaju Folawunmi in Nigeria for the offence for which his surrender is sought.”