Nigerian Man Extradited to U.S. Over $1.3m Tax Fraud, Cyber Intrusion
A Nigerian man, Matthew A. Akande, who resides in Mexico has been extradited to the United States over allegations of cyber intrusion and fraudulent tax filings amounting to over $1.3 million.
Akande, 36, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom in October 2024 at the request of U.S. authorities.
He was extradited on March 5, 2025, and appeared before a federal court in Boston the following day.
The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Akande was indicted in July 2022 on multiple charges, including conspiracy to gain unauthorised access to protected computers, wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.
Between 2016 and 2021, Akande and his co-conspirators, including Kehinde H. Oyetunji, allegedly stole personal information from taxpayers to file fraudulent tax returns.
Authorities say the scheme involved phishing attacks targeting Massachusetts tax preparation firms, using malware to extract clients’ tax data for illegal refunds.
Oyetunji, a Nigerian based in North Dakota, pleaded guilty to related charges in December 2022.
His sentencing date is yet to be determined.
Prosecutors disclosed that the syndicate filed over 1,000 fraudulent tax returns, seeking more than $8.1 million in refunds, with $1.3 million successfully obtained.
The stolen funds were withdrawn in cash and transferred to Mexico under Akande’s direction.
Akande faces multiple charges, with potential sentences ranging from five to 20 years in prison, alongside fines up to $250,000 per count.
The U.S. Department of Justice collaborated with UK authorities to facilitate his extradition.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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