Federal authorities in South Carolina have arrested 24-year-old Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal of Osun State, Nigeria, in connection with a sextortion scam that tragically led to the suicide of Gavin Guffey, the 17-year-old son of state representative Brandon Guffey.
Gavin Guffey took his life in July 2022 after being manipulated by an unknown blackmailer who coerced him into sending compromising images. His father, Representative Brandon Guffey, spearheaded efforts to pass a law aimed at combating sextortion, which was named in honor of his late son and took effect in 2023.
On January 27, 2025, federal officials revealed the extradition and arrest of Lawal, who allegedly posed as a young woman online, targeting Guffey for explicit images. After receiving the photos, Lawal extorted Guffey, threatening to release the images unless he sent money. Lawal then directed similar threats towards Guffey’s family members.
Lawal faces several charges, including child exploitation resulting in death, coercion, enticement of a minor, cyberstalking, and extortion. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment, including a mandatory 30-year sentence for child exploitation resulting in death.
The indictment was filed in October 2023, and Lawal was apprehended after extradition proceedings concluded in Nigeria on January 24, 2025. He was brought back to the U.S. and arraigned in Columbia, South Carolina, at the Matthew J. Perry Jr. federal courthouse.
Federal prosecutors emphasized the significance of holding perpetrators accountable in such cases. “We will not allow predators who target our children to hide behind a keyboard or across the ocean,” U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs stated.
FBI officials also praised the tireless work of investigators from both the U.S. and abroad in bringing Lawal to justice.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Columbia field office, Violent Crimes Against Children Section, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, among others. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels, Lothrop Morris, and Michael Shedd are leading the prosecution.
