An 18-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, has been convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court in Lagos after admitting to defrauding a United States citizen of $800 through a gift-card scam.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, convicted Olamilekan on October 30, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to a one-count money laundering charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the EFCC, Olamilekan obtained the $800 in gift cards as proceeds of an unlawful activity and later converted them into naira.
The charge was filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC under Section 18(2)(a) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
EFCC said the defendant had used the Zangi messaging application to meet his alleged victim, identified as Gary Brewer, a United States citizen.
Olamilekan allegedly impersonated a white American woman named Julie Leach and told Brewer that he had won a $250 million lottery prize but needed money to activate the winnings before he could access the supposed jackpot.
He subsequently persuaded Brewer to send him gift cards through Zangi.
During investigations, Olamilekan admitted selling the gift cards through the Cardsonic application, converting the proceeds to naira and transferring the money to his grandmother’s OPay account.
He also confessed to benefiting $800 from the fraudulent scheme.
Following his guilty plea, an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, reviewed the facts of the case before the court convicted the defendant.
Justice Dipeolu imposed a N200,000 fine on Olamilekan and ordered him to remit an additional N1 million to the Federal Government as restitution.
The court directed that he remain in the correctional centre until he pays the fine and restitution.
It also ordered the forfeiture of an iPhone 11 Pro and a Poco C71 mobile phone recovered in connection with the offence.
EFCC said investigations further established that Olamilekan, who claimed to be from the Republic of Benin but was born in Nigeria, was involved in lottery scams and operated several social media and messaging platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage.
His arrest followed an EFCC sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, on October 26.
EFCC said its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 arrested 21 suspected cybercrime fraudsters during the operation, which was conducted at about 5am following surveillance and reconnaissance of their activities. Five exotic cars were also recovered.
The commission subsequently said preliminary investigations indicted 19 of the 21 suspects, while two others were released.
It announced that the indicted suspects would be arraigned in court.
Olamilekan’s conviction represents one of the cases arising from the Applewood Estate operation.
EFCC had alleged that suspects targeted in the raid obtained money from unsuspecting victims through gift cards, cryptocurrencies and international money transfers while impersonating other individuals.
The commission has continued to urge members of the public to condemn internet fraud and other financial crimes, warning against activities capable of damaging Nigeria’s reputation.
