Sextortion:Nigerian Extradited To US To Face Charges In Teenager’s 2022 Death
State Rep. Brandon Guffey holds an image of his son Gavin who took his own life in July 2022 after a Nigerian man posed as a woman and then tried to extort the teen after he sent nude photos.
LAGOS JANUARY 28TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Two years after a teenager lost his life to suicide amid what officials say was a sextortion scheme, a man has been extradited to the United States to face charges, United States Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs announced alongside federal, state and law enforcement Monday.
Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, 24, of the state of Osun in Nigeria, has been extradited to the U.S.
In July 2022, Rock Hill resident Gavin Guffey, 17, lost his life to suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scheme reportedly created by Lawal.
According to authorities, Lawal pretended to be a young woman on social media and coerced Guffey to send nude photos. Lawal then threatened to ruin Guffey’s reputation by releasing the images unless the minor sent money.
Lawal is charged with the following:
- 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 the internet to extort
- Aiding/ abetting
In the cyberstalking and extortion charges, officials state that Lawal also targeted Guffey’s family after his death.
Lawal faces up to life in prison. A prison sentence is mandatory for several of his charges and the child exploitation resulting in death charge alone requires a minimum 30-year sentence. Lawal will also be forced to pay any restitution the court orders to the Guffey family.
Boroughs said as part of the extradition agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office would not seek the death penalty.
“If you use the internet to exploit children in our state, you will be held accountable here in our courts,” Boroughs said. “We will not allow predators to hide behind a keyboard or across an ocean.”
A grand jury returned an indictment in Oct. 2023. With the help of Nigerian law enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents out of the Columbia, S.C., office took custody of Lawal on Jan. 24, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria.
“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.”
In Aug. 2023, ‘Gavin’s Law’ was signed to make these types of crimes an aggravated felony. A major push behind this law and several other past bills was Gavin’s father, S.C. Representative Brandon Guffey.
“I would hope that he is proud,” said Guffey told Queen City News on the day the law was signed. “I think if he were here today, he would realize what a mistake it was that he made. And how he reacted quickly to a situation that could have been solved.”
He reflected further on Monday.
“He was just a light and not somebody that you would ever — and that’s what makes the crime of sextortion so horrific, throughout all these, parents think there’s been over 40 deaths of teens publicly since Gavin and whenever I have talked with these parents and worked with these parents,” he said.
Nigerian authorities were critical in identifying, investigating, arresting and extraditing Lawal, Boroughs’ office reports.
“We will not allow predators who target our children to hide behind a keyboard or across the ocean. Today we honor Gavin’s life and continue our fight against sextortion by holding this defendant accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Boroughs. “This investigation and extradition are the result of tremendous law enforcement coordination both in the United States and Nigeria. We’re grateful to the many agencies who helped make this day possible.”
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), the State Department, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Attorney General’s Office – Ministry of Justice and numerous other agencies were all involved in this case. This was also part of Project Safe Childhood.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sextortion, please report it to local law enforcement and to the FBI. You can report it to your local FBI office, by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or online aon at tips.fbi.gov.
Resources for parents, caregivers and teachers can be found on the FBI’s website.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
Queen City News
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Posted by News Rangers
on Jan 28 2025. Filed under International, National.
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