The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged vehicle importation scam involving $680,000.
Adegoke was arraigned on Thursday, October 8, 2026, by the commission's Ilorin Zonal Directorate before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a one-count charge of stealing.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement posted on its X account on Monday, noting that the defendant was arrested in July 2026 over an alleged cross-border vehicle import fraud involving more than $320,000, equivalent to approximately N434.88m.
According to the commission, preliminary investigations linked Adegoke to an alleged syndicate based in the United States that targeted Nigerians under the guise of purchasing and shipping vehicles from the country.
“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.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that Adegoke, while residing in the United States, advertised luxury vehicles to prospective buyers in Nigeria, promising to facilitate their purchase and shipment.
“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 commission stated.
The EFCC said two alleged victims paid a combined sum exceeding $320,000 in connection with the transactions.
However, the charge brought against Adegoke concerned an alleged incident in December 2024 involving $680,000 belonging to Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike.
According to the charge, the defendant allegedly dishonestly converted the money to his personal use after it was transferred to the bank account of his company, Omosco Auto Sales LLC, for the purchase of a 2022 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon through an individual identified as Mr Robinson.
The charge stated that the alleged offence occurred in Lagos, within the Ikeja judicial division.
Adegoke pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Arazeem Adebayo, urged the court to fix a date for trial and order the defendant's remand in a correctional facility.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, had earlier raised an objection to the arraignment, but the court overruled him. He subsequently applied for Adegoke to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the filing of his bail application.
Justice Abike-Fadipe also overruled the defence counsel's application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The court adjourned the case until January 13, 2027, for trial.
Leave a Reply