The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a Nigerian-American, Oluwatobi Adegoke, before the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, over an alleged vehicle import fraud involving $680,000.
Adegoke was arraigned on Thursday, October 8, 2026, by the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Directorate before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe on a one-count charge of stealing.
The commission disclosed this in a statement published on its X account on Monday, adding that the defendant was arrested in July over an alleged cross-border vehicle import scam involving more than $320,000, said to be equivalent to N434.88m.
According to the EFCC, preliminary investigations indicated that Adegoke allegedly belonged to a United States-based syndicate accused of defrauding Nigerians under the pretence of purchasing and shipping vehicles from America.
The commission alleged that while living in the US, Adegoke advertised photographs of a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective Nigerian buyers, claiming he could purchase and ship the luxury vehicle to them.
It added that two alleged victims paid a combined sum exceeding $320,000 in connection with the transaction.
However, the charge filed against Adegoke referred to an alleged incident in December 2024 involving $680,000 belonging to Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike.
The charge alleged that Adegoke dishonestly converted the money, which was 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.
Adegoke pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the plea, EFCC counsel, Arazeem Adebayo, asked the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in a correctional facility.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, had earlier objected to the arraignment, but the court overruled the objection.
He also requested that his client be kept in EFCC custody pending the filing of a bail application. The court rejected the request.
Justice Abike-Fadipe subsequently ordered that Adegoke be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until January 13, 2027, for trial.
The allegations have yet to be proven in court.