…says the tax refund fraud scheme ran between June 2016 and June 2021.
Washington DC, United States — The iNews Times reports that a Nigerian national has been sentenced to eight years in prison over a massive Tax Refund Fraud scheme that targeted more than 1,000 Americans and attempted to siphon over $8.1 million from the United States government.
The United States Department of Justice disclosed in a statement on Thursday that Matthew Akande, 37, successfully obtained about $1.3 million in fraudulent refunds before authorities uncovered the tax refund fraud operation.
According to investigators, Akande was residing in Mexico before his arrest at Heathrow Airport in October 2024, after which he was extradited to the United States to face prosecution.
The Department of Justice said the tax refund fraud scheme ran between June 2016 and June 2021, during which Akande and his accomplices stole funds by filing fraudulent tax returns using stolen personal information belonging to American taxpayers.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate obtained victims’ personal and financial data from Massachusetts-based tax preparation firms through phishing emails and computer intrusions.
Authorities explained that the fraudulent emails impersonated potential clients and tricked tax firms into installing remote access malware known as Warzone RAT, which enabled Akande to harvest sensitive taxpayer data.
Using the stolen information, the suspects filed fraudulent tax returns directing refunds into bank accounts opened by co-conspirators within the United States.
The statement noted that once the Internal Revenue Service processed the refunds, Akande allegedly instructed accomplices to withdraw the funds and transfer portions to associates in Mexico while keeping a share for themselves.
“In total, Akande and his co-conspirators filed more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $8.1 million in fraudulent tax refunds over approximately five years. They successfully obtained more than $1.3 million,” the department said.
Following extensive investigations, Akande was indicted in 2022 on 32 counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft.
He was later arraigned before the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, where Justice Indira Talwani sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment.
The court also ordered Akande to serve three years of supervised release after completing his sentence and to pay $1,393,230 in restitution to the victims.
Legal experts say the conviction highlights growing concerns over cross-border cyber-enabled tax refund fraud and the increasing sophistication of phishing and malware attacks targeting financial institutions and tax professionals.
