Mike Ntomobong Ime, a travel agent residing in California, has refunded N197,000 to Lawal Adetola (not real name), an Osun-based civil servant, after a 15-month wait.

Ime transferred the money back to Adetola on Monday, one year after FIJ’s report. Adetola confirmed the refund to FIJ on Saturday, stating that Ime had called to promise the payment. Ime had also cited FIJ’s report to Adetola as one of the reasons for the refund.

FIJ had earlier reported how Adetola began discussions with his supposed friend Ime for a US visa application in October 2023.

READ MORE: Mike Ime Took N197,000 to Process US Visa in 2023. He Has Blocked the Applicant

What seemed like a simple transaction quickly turned into a financial tug of war, with Ime blocking Adetola and failing to deliver the promised visa documents.

Between October and November 2024, Adetola paid N197,000 in instalments of N60,000, N45,000, N7,000 and N35,000 for the visa application.

Ime had sent some letters, including a note of invitation and a letter of sponsorship, to convince Adetola that he was in safe hands. However, Adetola began to question the legitimacy of the deal when Ime requested an additional N400,000 for embassy appointment bookings.

Concerned, Adetola spoke with other friends in the US who warned him about Ime’s demands. He confronted the travel agent with his suspicions, and that led to a fallout.

“I stopped sending him money after weeks of waiting for updates. When he asked me for another N400,000, I got suspicious. He even suggested I sell my land. I knew something wasn’t right,” Adetola said.

READ ALSO: After FIJ’s Story, Lagos Police Return Extorted N750,000 to South Africa Returnee

The confrontation ended with Ime blocking Adetola on all platforms.

FIJ reached out to Ime on December 22, 2023, regarding the accusations via text, but his line appeared to be out of service. After contacting him on Facebook on January 2, 2024, Ime denied knowing Adetola.

“I don’t know him, and you can go to press,” Ime responded.