An 18-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, has been convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for laundering $800 obtained through a gift card scam.
Justice Dipeolu convicted Olamilekan on October 30, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of money laundering brought against him by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charge bordered on disguising the origin of $800 in gift cards, which the prosecution said formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Following his guilty plea, an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, reviewed the facts of the case before the court found him guilty and convicted him.
The judge sentenced Olamilekan to a fine of N200,000 and ordered him to pay N1 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 crime.
EFCC investigations revealed that Olamilekan, who claimed to be from the Republic of Benin but was born in Nigeria, operated several social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage, which he allegedly used for lottery scams.
He reportedly met his victim, Gary Brewer, a United States citizen, through the Zangi application, where he impersonated an American woman identified as Julie Leach.
Olamilekan allegedly told Brewer that he had won a $250 million lottery prize but needed money to activate the winnings before he could claim the fortune.
He subsequently persuaded the American to send him gift cards through the messaging platform.
The convict admitted selling the gift cards through the Cardsonic application, converting the proceeds into naira and transferring the money to his grandmother’s OPay account. He confessed to making $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.
