The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed that a Nigerian internet fraudster, Ehiremen Aigbokhan, operating from Lagos State, masterminded a sophisticated cyber scam that siphoned over ₦460 million meant for the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025.
The disclosure was made through a civil forfeiture complaint filed before a U.S. District Court, detailing how Aigbokhan exploited digital communication systems in a cryptocurrency-based fraud operation executed just weeks before the event.
According to the FBI, the case centers on a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme, a cybercrime tactic that involves impersonating trusted figures to trick victims into transferring large sums of money.
Investigators say the perpetrators created spoofed email addresses nearly identical to those of actual officials on the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. One such address, @t47lnaugural.com, closely mimicked the legitimate @t47inaugural.com, and was used to impersonate committee co-chair Steve Witkoff.
On December 26, 2024, an unsuspecting victim wired 250,300 USDT.ETH, a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar and hosted on the Ethereum blockchain — equivalent to over ₦400 million at the time.
The fraudsters rapidly dispersed 215,000 USDT.ETH to multiple digital wallets to obscure the money trail. However, the FBI, in collaboration with cryptocurrency company Tether, intervened and froze the affected accounts by December 31, 2024.
Forensic analysis by the bureau traced the origin of the spoofed emails and wallet logins to Lagos, with repeated IP hits confirming it as the base of operations.
A major breakthrough came when a Binance account, opened by Aigbokhan in October 2024, was found to be directly connected to the fraudulent wallet used to launder proceeds. This crucial evidence solidified his role as the primary suspect.
So far, the U.S. Department of Justice has seized 20,017 USDT.ETH from Aigbokhan’s wallet and 20,336 USDT.ETH from another linked wallet — totaling over ₦60 million at the current black market rate.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Blaylock Jr., representing the District of Columbia, has requested the court to approve forfeiture of the seized digital assets.
The FBI has confirmed that active steps are being taken to arrest Aigbokhan and any accomplices. However, it remains unclear whether diplomatic efforts have begun to secure his extradition from Nigeria.
This case now stands as one of the most brazen acts of cybercrime tied to a U.S. presidential inauguration, with Lagos named as its nerve center.