FBI Targets Assets of Lagos Suspect Linked to Trump Inauguration Crypto Scam

A suspected Nigerian internet fraudster based in Lagos, Ehiremen Aigbokhan, is at the center of a civil forfeiture case filed by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), over his alleged role in a cryptocurrency scam tied to donations for Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.

According to court documents, Aigbokhan and unnamed co-conspirators reportedly executed a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme, impersonating the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee to trick donors into transferring cryptocurrency to wallets they controlled.

One notable incident occurred on December 26, 2024, when a victim received a deceptive email from an address designed to mimic the committee’s official domain. Mistaking it for legitimate communication, the donor transferred 250,300 USDT.ETH—worth over ₦400 million—to the scammers’ crypto wallet.

Investigators say that within days, 215,000 USDT.ETH had been dispersed across various wallets, prompting the FBI to request a freeze of the assets. Crypto platform Tether responded by freezing the funds on December 31.

Forensic tracing later led authorities to Aigbokhan’s Binance.com account, which was opened in October 2024. The FBI noted that no deposits had been made to the account until it began receiving proceeds from the alleged scam. Further digital footprints, including email activity and IP addresses, reportedly linked back to Lagos.

In a filing submitted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Blaylock Jr, prosecutors are asking the court to approve the seizure of assets, including more than ₦60 million in cryptocurrency already frozen across two wallets linked to Aigbokhan.

Alongside the forfeiture request, U.S. authorities are also pursuing an arrest warrant for Aigbokhan on charges related to cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering.