A Nigerian national, Matthew A. Akande, has been handed an 8-year prison sentence in the US for his role in a cyber fraud scheme that swindled over $1.3 million from American tax firms. Akande, 37, was extradited from the UK to face justice for his crimes.
The scheme involved phishing emails and malware, including Warzone RAT, to breach Massachusetts tax preparation firms’ systems, steal sensitive taxpayer info, and file fake tax returns. Akande and his co-conspirators filed over 1,000 fraudulent tax returns, seeking over $8.1 million in refunds.
Akande’s accomplices, including Kehinde H. Oyetunji, would withdraw the stolen funds in cash and transfer a portion to Mexico, with Akande directing the operations. The scheme ran from June 2016 to June 2021, with Akande using stolen taxpayer info to file fake returns and divert refunds to bank accounts controlled by his accomplices.
Akande was arrested in October 2024 at Heathrow Airport, extradited to the US on March 5, 2025, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, and identity theft charges. He’s now facing the music with an 8-year prison term, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,393,230 in restitution.
The case highlights the growing threat of cyber-enabled tax fraud and international cooperation in combating such crimes. US authorities are working with global partners to dismantle cybercrime networks and bring perpetrators to justice.
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