Nigerian-American in Court Over $680,000 Car Fraud Case

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has taken a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, to court. This happened at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, where he faces charges linked to a vehicle import scam.

Adegoke appeared in court on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Directorate brought him before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe. He is facing a one-count charge of stealing.

According to a statement from the EFCC posted on X, Adegoke was arrested in July 2026. His arrest was linked to a cross-border vehicle import fraud that involved over $320,000, which is about N434.88 million.

The EFCC mentioned that their early investigations connected Adegoke to a group in the United States. This group is said to have defrauded many Nigerians by pretending to buy and import vehicles from the US.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the defendant allegedly belonged to a syndicate based in the United States that specialised in defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of purchasing and importing vehicles from the US," the statement said.

Further investigations showed that while living in the US, Adegoke allegedly advertised pictures of a luxury car to interested buyers in Nigeria.

"Further investigation revealed that while residing in the United States, Adegoke allegedly advertised and circulated photographs of a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective buyers in Nigeria, claiming that he could purchase and ship the luxury vehicle to them," the EFCC added.

The commission stated that two victims paid a total of over $320,000 for this deal. But the charge in the statement also mentioned a different incident from December 2024. This incident involved $680,000 that belonged to Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike.

The charge reads, "Oluwatobi Adegoke sometime in December, 2024 at Lagos within the Ikeja judicial division, dishonestly converted to your own use, the sum of ($680,000) property of Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike, being money transferred to the bank account of your company Omosco Auto Sales LLC for purchase of 2022 G Wagon from Mr Robinson."

Adegoke pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After he entered his plea, EFCC lawyer Arazeem Adebayo asked the court to set a trial date and keep Adegoke in a correctional center.

Defence lawyer Olalekan Abiodun tried to object to the arraignment but was overruled. He also asked for Adegoke to be kept in EFCC custody until he files for bail, but this request was also overruled.

Justice Abike-Fadipe ordered that Adegoke be taken to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre. The case has been postponed until January 13, 2027, for the trial.