The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday, handed over $22,000 recovered from a convicted internet fraudster, Hakeem Olanrewaju, to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, in Lagos.
Jerrymusa.com reports that on August 15, 2023, Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, ordered the restitution of recovered funds to a victim in the United States.
How Funds Was Recovered
The funds were recovered from Olanrewaju, who was sentenced to two years in prison for identity theft and impersonation. The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, announced the development in a statement on Saturday.
During the handover ceremony in Lagos, the acting Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Command, Michael Wetkas, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to combating crimes and restoring sanity to the nation.
“We are delighted to hand over these proceeds of crime today. The EFCC is willing and always ready to do more,” Wetkas said.
The FBI Legal Attaché, Charles Smith, praised the EFCC’s efforts, saying, “The EFCC and FBI work collaboratively, and it’s thanks to the EFCC that we can recover funds of this nature, especially from Business Email Compromise.”
Smith noted that this type of crime severely impacts US businesses, and recovering funds within one to two years brings hope and justice to affected companies.
He expressed his appreciation for the EFCC’s efforts and looked forward to continued collaboration between the two agencies.