Social Media Posts Mislead About Nigerian Scammer and Trump

• Posts on social media claim a Nigerian scammer defrauded Trump.
• The actual victim was a donor, not Trump himself.
• The FBI traced the scammer to Nigeria and is seeking an arrest.
• Aigbokhan received funds linked to the fraudulent scam in Nigeria.
• Reports highlight the alarming increase in cybercrime in Nigeria.

The Truth Behind the Scam Claims

Misleading Claims Surround Scams and Trump Donations Recent posts circulating on social media and certain Nigerian news outlets have made sensational claims that a Nigerian-based scammer, referred to as a ‘Yahoo boy’, swindled President Donald Trump out of a hefty sum of $250,000. However, this assertion lacks accuracy. In reality, the victim of this scam was a donor who intended to contribute to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee–not Trump himself. The scammer involved, traced back to Nigeria by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), used an elaborate scheme to deceive the donor.

Patterns of Cyber Criminality and Nigerian Involvement

Nigerian Cybercrime: A Growing Concern As per reports from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, cybercrime—including advance fee fraud and money laundering—has spiked in Nigeria, now accounting for the largest share of the staggering 4,111 convictions reported in 2024. In a country where a significant portion of the population is young, these crimes have drawn international attention. A notable case includes Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, an Instagram influencer who was sentenced to 11 years in the U.S. in 2022 for orchestrating widespread online scams. Similarly, Abidemi Rufai, a politician in Nigeria, faced legal repercussions for similar criminal actions. Though these incidents paint a troubling picture of cybercriminality linked to Nigerians, it’s essential to distinguish fact from fiction regarding the Trump scenario—there is nothing to suggest that Trump himself fell victim in this instance.

FBI’s Investigation into Cryptor Scam

An In-Depth Look at the Fraudulent Scheme Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice have verified that funds were indeed siphoned in a scam involving $250,300 through cryptocurrency. However, nuances matter here—Donald Trump was notably not the target of this scam. Instead, the funds were fraudulently diverted from a supporter of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee following a deceitful impersonation of committee officials. Emails sent from a domain mimicking the official account solicited funds under false pretenses, showcasing the deviousness of the scam. Prosecutors note that the victim unwittingly transferred funds which were soon routed through various cryptocurrency wallets including one linked to a Nigerian individual named Ehiremen Aigbokhan. This investigation is ongoing, with the FBI actively pursuing Aigbokhan on charges related to his alleged involvement in the crime.

In summary, the circulation of claims regarding a Nigerian scammer scamming President Donald Trump of $250,000 is misleading. While it is true that a significant sum of money was taken through a cryptocurrency scam linked to a donation for the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, the actual victim was a donor, not Trump himself. This story highlights the complexities of cybercrime, particularly in Nigeria, and the importance of accurate reporting to prevent misconceptions among the public.