A 24-year-old Nigerian man, Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, has been extradited to the United States to face prosecution on an indictment for the sextortion of a teenage boy, which led to the victim’s death.
The United States Department of Justice announced this in a statement on Monday, 27th January 2025.
The investigation was launched after Gavin Guffey, the 17-year-old son of a South Carolina representative, Brandon Guffey, from Rock Hill, died by suicide in July 2022 after being victimized by Lawal’s scheme.
Lawal, from Osun State, allegedly posed as a young woman on social media and coerced the teenager into sending compromising photographs.
He then extorted and sent harassing messages to the teenager threatening to leak the photographs and ruin his reputation unless the teenager sent him money. Lawal later did the same to members of his family.
The five-count federal indictment charges Lawal with child exploitation resulting in death, the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, cyberstalking resulting in death, making interstate threats with intent to extort, and aiding and abetting.
In addition to victimizing the teenager in every count, the indictment alleges Lawal targeted the minor victim’s family in the stalking and extortion charges.
Lawal faces up to life imprisonment and mandatory minimum prison sentences on multiple counts. The child exploitation resulting in death count carries a mandatory 30-year sentence. He also faces mandatory restitution, where the court may order Lawal to pay for losses incurred by the family as a result of his scheme.
The indictment was returned by a federal Grand Jury in South Carolina in October 2023. On 24th January, following extradition proceedings in Nigeria, agents with the FBI Columbia Field Office took custody of Lawal in Lagos, Nigeria and executed the removal with assistance from Nigerian law enforcement.
“We will not allow predators who target our children to hide behind a keyboard or across the ocean. Today we honour Gavin’s life and continue our fight against sextortion by holding this defendant accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina.
“This investigation and extradition are the result of tremendous law enforcement coordination both in the United States and Nigeria. We are grateful to the many agencies who helped make this day possible.”
“This indictment represents the culmination of countless hours of dedicated work done by our investigators both here and abroad,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office.
“The defendant’s alleged actions are reprehensible resulting in the tragic loss of a young man’s life. We remain steadfast in our commitment to holding criminals accountable, especially those who target our children and endanger their lives, no matter where they are.”
U.S. Attorney Boroughs and SAC Jensen thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the U.S. State Department for their help in facilitating the arrest and extradition of Lawal.
Nigerian law enforcement provided critical assistance in the identification, investigation, arrest, and extradition of Lawal.
U.S. Attorney Boroughs and SAC Jensen extended their appreciation and thanks to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Attorney General’s Office – Ministry of Justice, and all other involved Nigerian authorities for their important partnership in this case.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Section and International Operations Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels, Lothrop Morris, and Michael Shedd are prosecuting the case.
