Washington, D.C., USA – United States authorities have charged two Nigerian nationals with orchestrating a massive tax fraud scheme that attempted to steal over $100 million from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by using stolen identities. The multi-year conspiracy involved filing hundreds of fraudulent tax returns.
Prosecutors allege that Akinade Adedeji Raheem and Abayomi Quadri Eletu obtained sensitive personal data to impersonate legitimate taxpayers and tax professionals. According to Okay News, the sophisticated scheme involved creating fake online IRS accounts and rerouting victims’ mail to intercept official correspondence and authentication letters.
The indictment claims the group directed the IRS to send the fraudulent refunds to numerous prepaid debit cards. The proceeds were then allegedly laundered through structured transactions, including the purchase of money orders and used vehicles from U.S. auctions, some of which were shipped to Nigeria.
Eletu has since been arrested in the United Kingdom following a request from U.S. authorities. If convicted, both men face charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering, which could result in decades of imprisonment.
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