EFCC arraigns Nigerian-American over alleged $320,000 vehicle import fraud
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged vehicle import fraud involving more than $320,000.
Adegoke was arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a one-count charge of stealing. The case followed his arrest in July 2026 by operatives of the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Directorate over allegations of cross-border fraud involving the importation of luxury vehicles.
According to the EFCC, preliminary investigations indicated that the defendant allegedly belonged to a United States-based syndicate that defrauded Nigerians under the guise of purchasing and shipping vehicles from the country.
The commission said further investigations revealed that Adegoke allegedly advertised a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective buyers in Nigeria while residing in the United States, claiming he could purchase and ship the luxury vehicle to them. Two victims allegedly paid a combined sum of more than $320,000 in connection with the transaction.
However, the charge before the court cited a separate transaction involving $680,000 allegedly transferred to the bank account of Adegoke’s company, Omosco Auto Sales LLC, for the purchase of a 2022 G-Wagon. The charge identified Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike as the alleged owner of the money and stated that the incident occurred in December 2024 within the Ikeja judicial division.
The charge accused Adegoke of dishonestly converting the money to his own use, contrary to Sections 278(1)(b) and 285(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the plea, EFCC counsel, Arazeem Adebayo, urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant. Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, who had earlier been overruled in his objection to the arraignment, also lost his application for the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the filing of a bail application.
Consequently, Justice Abike-Fadipe ordered that Adegoke be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until January 13, 2027, for trial.
