EFCC to arraign Bobrisky over alleged N180.7m laundering, abuse of N490,000 today

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to bring forward popular cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, to a Federal High Court in Lagos today, on charges related to currency abuse and failure to disclose the financial activities of his company involving N180.7 million.

The arrest and detention of Bobrisky by the anti-graft agency took place on Wednesday evening, following allegations of currency abuse. The EFCC filed the charges against the social media personality through its legal representative, and Bobrisky was held in a separate cell pending his arraignment.

The planned arraignment follows the arrest made the day before, where Bobrisky was accused of engaging in currency abuse during a social event. The charges, marked FHC/L/244c/2024, consist of six counts. The first four counts relate to instances where Bobrisky was alleged to have tampered with various sums of money by spraying them during social events. These counts are said to contravene Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.

Counts 5 and 6 pertain to Bobrisky’s company, Bob Express, accusing him of failing to declare the activities of the company to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering. These counts detail the failure to declare significant sums of money paid into the company’s bank accounts within a specified period. Both alleged offenses contravene sections 6(1)(a), 19(1)(f) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and section 19 (2)(b) of the same Act.

The EFCC initiated the investigation after a video surfaced showing Bobrisky spraying and displaying bundles of new Naira notes at the premiere of a movie, “Ajakaju,” produced by Nollywood actress and producer Eniola Ajao at Film One Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos, on March 24, 2024.