Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal of Osun State, Nigeria, has been extradited to the United States to face prosecution in a federal indictment that was partially unsealed.
He stands accused of Sextortion of a South Carolina minor, a crime that tragically led to the victim’s death.
The investigation began following the suicide of Gavin Guffey, a 17-year-old from Rock Hill, in July 2022. Lawal allegedly masqueraded as a young woman on social media, coercing the teenager into sending compromising photos. Subsequently, he extorted the victim and sent threatening messages, promising to leak the photos unless money was sent.
The federal indictment, returned by a Grand Jury in South Carolina in October 2023, charges Lawal with multiple offenses including child exploitation resulting in death, production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, cyberstalking resulting in death, interstate threats with intent to extort, and aiding/abetting.
Lawal faces severe penalties, including life imprisonment and mandatory minimum sentences. The charge of child exploitation resulting in death alone carries a mandatory 30-year prison term. Additionally, he may be ordered to pay restitution to compensate the family for their losses.
Following extradition proceedings in Nigeria, Lawal was apprehended in Lagos by agents from the FBI Columbia Field Office with assistance from Nigerian law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina emphasized, “We will not allow predators who target our children to hide behind a keyboard or across the ocean.”
Special Agent in Charge Steve Jensen of the FBI Columbia Field Office condemned Lawal’s actions as “reprehensible,” stressing their commitment to holding such criminals accountable. The successful extradition was made possible through extensive coordination between U.S. and Nigerian law enforcement agencies.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at protecting children from online exploitation. It underscores the collaborative efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat crimes against children and educate communities about online safety.
U.S. Attorney Boroughs and SAC Jensen expressed gratitude to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), U.S. State Department, and Nigerian authorities including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for their crucial role in the investigation and extradition process.
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