FBI Launches Manhunt: Lagos-Based Suspect Accused of Stealing Crypto Donation for Trump’s 2025 Inauguration
A Nigerian national based in Lagos, identified as Ehiremen Aigbokhan, is at the center of a major international fraud investigation after U.S. authorities alleged that he and his associates diverted over ₦460 million worth of cryptocurrency intended for the 2025 Trump-Vance inauguration ceremony.
According to court filings, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched both a civil forfeiture case and an arrest operation following what they describe as a complex Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme. The scammers reportedly impersonated key members of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, successfully deceiving a donor into transferring 250,300 USDT.ETH, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar.
Fake Emails and Digital Deception
The fraud unfolded in late December 2024, just weeks before the U.S. presidential inauguration. Investigators say fake email addresses resembling official committee contacts were used to reach out to potential donors. One such spoofed address, @t47lnaugural.com, was almost identical to the real @t47inaugural.com, and tricked a victim into wiring the substantial crypto donation.
Once the funds were received, the fraudsters quickly began moving the digital currency into various wallets, dispersing 215,000 USDT.ETH in just a few days.
Tether Freezes Accounts, FBI Traces Funds to Lagos
Acting on a request from the FBI, crypto firm Tether froze the wallets on December 31, 2024, preventing further movement of the stolen assets. Investigators soon traced the digital trail back to Lagos, where a Binance account created in October 2024 was linked to Mr. Aigbokhan. This account reportedly had no prior activity before the stolen funds were deposited.
Digital forensics, including IP address data, consistently pointed to Lagos as the source of the fraudulent logins and transactions.
Millions Seized, Legal Action Underway
So far, authorities have recovered a portion of the funds, seizing:
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20,017 USDT.ETH from a wallet tied directly to Aigbokhan, and
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20,336 USDT.ETH from a second address (0xC7bdBA7ffB126F68E8454C).
Combined, the recovered assets are valued at over ₦60 million using black market exchange rates. A U.S. federal attorney, Rick Blaylock Jr., is pursuing court approval to permanently confiscate the recovered crypto under civil asset forfeiture laws.
The FBI continues to pursue an arrest warrant for Aigbokhan as international investigations widen. His current whereabouts remain unknown.