18-Year-Old Applewood Estate Suspect Jailed for Gift Card Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of an 18-year-old suspected internet fraudster, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, for money laundering involving $800 in gift cards.

Olamilekan was convicted and sentenced on October 30, 2026, by Justice Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, following his arraignment by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 on a one-count charge of money laundering.

The charge was brought under Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The charge read: “That you, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, sometime in 2026 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly disguised the origin of the sum of $800 (Eight Hundred United States Dollars) in gift cards, which sum forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge, after which an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, reviewed the facts of the case before the court found him guilty and convicted him.

Justice Dipeolu sentenced Olamilekan to a fine of N200,000 and ordered him to remit N1 million to the Federal Government of Nigeria. He is to remain in the correctional centre pending payment of the fine and restitution.Nigeria political analysis

The court also ordered the forfeiture of an iPhone 11 Pro and a Poco C71 mobile phone recovered in connection with the offence.

According to the EFCC, investigation revealed that Olamilekan, who claimed to be from the Republic of Benin but was born in Nigeria, was involved in lottery scams and operated several social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage.Nigeria political analysis

The commission said he met his alleged victim, Gary Brewer, a United States citizen, through the Zangi application, where he impersonated a white American woman identified as Julie Leach.

Olamilekan reportedly told Brewer that he had won a lottery prize of $250 million but needed money to activate the winnings before he could claim the prize. He subsequently persuaded the victim to send gift cards through the messaging platform.

The EFCC said the defendant admitted selling the gift cards through the Cardsonic application, converting the proceeds to naira and transferring the money to his grandmother’s OPay account. He also confessed to benefiting $800 from the scheme.

Olamilekan was among 21 suspected internet fraudsters arrested by EFCC operatives during a sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, on October 26, 2026.