FBI Links Nigerian Scammer to $460M Trump Inauguration Crypto Fraud
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is closing in on a Nigerian fraudster, Ehiremen Aigbokhan, over a massive cryptocurrency scam that diverted more than ₦460 million intended for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration.
Aigbokhan, based in Lagos, is accused of orchestrating a deceptive online scheme that targeted a donor to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. The FBI has filed a civil forfeiture suit to seize assets linked to him and is actively pursuing his arrest on charges of wire fraud, cryptocurrency theft, and money laundering.
Fake Emails, Real Money
According to court documents, the fraudsters used a common cybercrime tactic known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) to impersonate official contacts from the inaugural committee. They created fake email addresses resembling real ones—for instance, changing a legitimate domain @t47inaugural.com to a fraudulent version @t47lnaugural.com (using the letter “l” instead of “i”)—and sent messages requesting donations.
One victim, misled by the fake email, sent 250,300 USDT (a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar on the Ethereum blockchain), which was worth over ₦400 million on the Nigerian black market at the time.
Digital Trail Leads to Lagos
Soon after the funds were received, the scammers began splitting and moving the money across multiple crypto wallets. However, the FBI quickly flagged the activity and requested cryptocurrency company Tether to freeze the accounts. Tether complied on December 31, 2024, halting further transfers.
Digital forensics traced the transactions to a Binance account created by Aigbokhan in October 2024. Notably, the account had no prior activity until it received funds linked to the scam. IP data and email metadata consistently pointed to locations in Lagos, strengthening the case against him.
Seized Crypto and Legal Action
So far, the FBI has seized over 40,000 USDT (about ₦60 million) from wallets associated with Aigbokhan, including:
- 20,017 USDT from his personal wallet
- 20,336 USDT from another wallet linked to the operation
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Blaylock Jr. has asked a Washington, D.C., court to permanently forfeit the stolen crypto assets as part of the ongoing investigation.
A Growing Cyber Threat
This case highlights how international cybercriminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to target even high-profile political events. It also reflects how digital assets, while powerful tools, are vulnerable to abuse without strong security measures.
Authorities in the U.S. are expected to seek Aigbokhan’s extradition if he is apprehended in Nigeria. The FBI has not disclosed how many others may be involved, but investigations are still active.
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