LAGOS, Nigeria – 10 June 2025 In a stunning breach of political and digital security, a Nigerian national has been implicated in a highly coordinated cybersecurity fraud operation that siphoned off over ₦460 million (approx. $250,000) intended for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration. The case, confirmed in a civil forfeiture complaint filed in the U.S. District Court, highlights the escalating threat of cross-border cybercrime.
According to court documents, the alleged perpetrator, Ehiremen Aigbokhan, operated a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme from Lagos, Nigeria. The group created a spoofed domain-@t47lnaugural.com-intended to deceive stakeholders of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee by mimicking the real domain, @t47inaugural.com. The visual trick hinged on substituting a lowercase “L” for an uppercase “I”, fooling at least one donor into believing the email came from committee co-chair Steve Witkoff.
The Transfer: Cryptocurrency Laundering
On 26 December 2024, the donor wired 250,300 USDT.ETH, a cryptocurrency tethered to the U.S. dollar via Ethereum, worth over ₦400 million at the time. The stolen funds were almost immediately scattered across multiple digital wallets a classic obfuscation tactic in digital laundering.
The Intervention: Tether-Freezes & FBI Moves
The FBI intercepted the operation after tracing the transaction trail and alerted Tether, the company behind USDT. On 31 December 2024, the company froze all involved wallets, effectively halting further laundering.
Nigerian Nexus: Tracing the Digital Footprint
Identity Unmasked
Digital forensics tied the compromised wallets and email metadata to Nigerian IP addresses, specifically in Lagos. Investigators identified a Binance.com wallet created by Aigbokhan in October 2024. Tellingly, this account had no prior transaction history before the scam a glaring anomaly flagged by analysts.
Asset Seizure
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice have already seized:
- 20,017 USDT.ETH from Aigbokhan’s Binance-linked wallet
- 20,336 USDT.ETH from a related wallet (address:
0xC7bdBA7ffB126F68E8454C)
Combined, these sum to ₦60 million (black market value, May 2025).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Blaylock Jr. is currently leading the forfeiture proceedings in the District of Columbia.
Expert Reactions
“This is a textbook example of BEC weaponized with crypto-laundering,” said Dr. Chioma Okwuosa, cybersecurity law researcher at the University of Lagos. “The deception was simple but effective—human error in email identification remains a global vulnerability.”
FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia added, “The reach of this scam—across continents and into a presidential event—underscores the globalized threat of cyber-enabled fraud.”
A Global Wake-Up Call for Cybersecurity in Political Fundraising
This incident reignites calls across the cybersecurity sector for stronger digital protocols, particularly in high-profile fundraising events.
Key Issues:
- Digital impersonation of trusted contacts
- Lack of verification mechanisms in donor communications
- Vulnerabilities in cryptocurrency transactions
- Delay in cross-border enforcement and extradition
Though U.S. authorities have not confirmed any diplomatic engagement with Nigeria for extradition, the case has amplified concerns about Nigeria’s role as a base for emerging cyber threats.
Actionable Takeaways for Cyber Defenders
- Verify domain names character by character in sensitive communications.
- Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to guard against domain spoofing.
- Educate donors and staff on BEC tactics via regular awareness training.
- Deploy anomaly detection systems to flag uncharacteristic wallet activity.
- Avoid reusing wallets for large cryptocurrency transactions.
- Establish manual review for high-value crypto donations.
- Work with crypto firms like Tether for rapid response freezing protocols.
- Enable IP logging and geo-fencing on fundraising systems.
- Consult threat intelligence feeds for active BEC actors.
- Create clear protocols for verifying all payment instructions.
Conclusion: Heightened Vigilance Ahead of 2025 Political Events
The Trump inauguration scam exemplifies how cybercriminals can exploit political events for financial gain. With a rapidly digitizing political landscape and the increasing use of cryptocurrencies, institutions must upgrade their defensive posture now. The need for robust cybersecurity frameworks and international enforcement cooperation has never been more urgent.
Sources
- PM News: FBI Reveals Nigerian Inauguration Scam
- U.S. DOJ Civil Forfeiture Complaint (June 2025)
- Tether’s Crypto Freezing Protocols
- Binance.com Wallet Tracing Techniques
- FBI: Business Email Compromise Advisory
- Ethereum Blockchain Explorer (ETH Transfers)
- U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Columbia
- University of Lagos Cyber Law Faculty
