An 18-year-old man, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, has been convicted of money laundering and sentenced to a ₦200,000 fine by the Federal High Court in Lagos over an $800 gift card fraud.
Justice Dipeolu delivered the judgment on October 30, 2026, at the court sitting in Ikoyi, following Olamilekan’s arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 on a one-count charge under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Olamilekan pleaded guilty to the charge, which accused him of disguising the origin of $800 obtained through gift cards in 2026. The court reviewed the facts presented by an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, before finding him guilty.
In addition to the fine, the judge ordered the defendant to pay ₦1 million to the Federal Government as restitution. He is to remain in the correctional centre pending payment of the fine and restitution.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of an iPhone 11 Pro and a Poco C71 mobile phone recovered in connection with the offence.
According to the EFCC, investigations showed that Olamilekan claimed to be from the Republic of Benin but was born in Nigeria. He allegedly operated several social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage, which were linked to lottery scams.
The commission said he met his victim, identified as Gary Brewer, a United States citizen, on the Zangi application, where he allegedly posed as a white American woman named Julie Leach.
Olamilekan reportedly told Brewer that he had won a $250 million lottery prize but needed to pay money to activate the winnings before he could collect them. He then persuaded the victim to send gift cards through the messaging platform.
The EFCC said the defendant 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 reportedly admitted receiving $800 from the scheme.
Olamilekan was among 21 suspected internet fraudsters arrested by EFCC operatives during a sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, on October 26, 2026.
Ademide Adebayo
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