The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, before a Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja over an alleged vehicle import fraud involving more than $320,000.
Adegoke was arraigned by the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Directorate before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a one-count charge of stealing.
The defendant, who was arrested by EFCC operatives in July 2026, allegedly participated in a cross-border fraud scheme involving the purported purchase and importation of luxury vehicles from the United States to Nigeria.
According to the commission, preliminary investigations indicated that Adegoke allegedly belonged to a syndicate based in the United States that targeted Nigerians under the guise of facilitating vehicle purchases and shipments.
Investigations reportedly revealed that while residing in the US, the defendant advertised and circulated photographs of a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective buyers in Nigeria, claiming he could purchase and ship the luxury vehicle to them.
The EFCC alleged that two victims paid a combined sum exceeding $320,000 in connection with the transaction.
However, the one-count charge presented before the court contained a specific allegation involving $680,000 allegedly belonging to Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike.
The charge alleged that Adegoke, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos, dishonestly converted the money transferred to the bank account of his company, Omosco Auto Sales LLC, for the purchase of a 2022 G-Wagon from a person identified as Mr Robinson.
The offence was said to be contrary to Sections 278(1)(b) and 285(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Adegoke pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Arazeem Adebayo, urged the court to fix a date for trial and order the defendant’s remand.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, had earlier raised an objection to the arraignment but was overruled by the court.
He subsequently applied for the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the filing of his bail application. The application was also overruled.
Justice Abike-Fadipe consequently ordered that Adegoke be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The court adjourned the case until January 13, 2027, for trial.
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