Federal prosecutors have arraigned a Nigerian national on multiple fraud and identity theft charges after his extradition from Benin, West Africa, in a scheme that targeted the US tax system.
Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, of Nigeria was ordered detained pending further proceedings in Atlanta following his arraignment on conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 14 counts of access device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft, says the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Raheem and Abayomi Quadri Eletu, a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, allegedly stole accountant and taxpayer data to submit more than 300 false returns between 2018 and 2023, claiming over $100 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
“Raheem, Eletu, and others allegedly obtained sensitive identifying information for tax professionals and taxpayers, including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting private taxpayer information. Using the personal identifying information of others, Raheem, Eletu, and their co-conspirators allegedly filed tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds…”
The proceeds were allegedly laundered through prepaid debit cards and purchases of used cars shipped to Nigeria, designer clothes and other items.
Says US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg,
“Raheem and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained hundreds of stolen identities, filed fraudulent tax returns using that information, and laundered the proceeds through prepaid debit cards and purchases of used cars that were shipped to Nigeria and other location. The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering. Thanks to the dedication of the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners around the world, Raheem has been extradited to the United States, and his arrest confirms again that no alleged criminal can escape the reach of American justice.”
Raheem faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 20 years for money laundering, 10 years for access device fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.
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This post Nigerian National Extradited from Africa, Arraigned in Georgia on $100,000,000 Identity Theft Tax Scheme appeared first on The ICD.
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