‎Two Nigerians face 100-year jail term over $100m US tax fraud

April 18, 2026: Two Nigerian nationals, Akinade Raheem and Abayomi Eletu, are facing up to 100 years in prison in the United States over their alleged involvement in a $100m tax fraud scheme.
‎
‎According to a statement released by the US Department of Justice, the suspects were accused of orchestrating a large-scale fraud operation that involved filing hundreds of false tax returns using stolen identities.
‎
‎Investigations revealed that the duo allegedly conspired with others to impersonate taxpayers and accountants, submitting more than 300 fraudulent tax filings to claim refunds exceeding $100m from the Internal Revenue Service.
‎
‎Authorities said the suspects obtained sensitive personal information, including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, which they used to create fake accounts and access confidential taxpayer data.
‎
‎The defendants were charged with multiple offences, including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, as well as money laundering. Eletu faces additional counts related to mail fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft, while Raheem is also charged with several counts of access device fraud and identity theft.
‎
‎Prosecutors disclosed that the suspects allegedly manipulated taxpayer records by changing addresses to locations controlled by their accomplices, allowing them to intercept communications from tax authorities.
‎
‎They were also accused of laundering proceeds from the fraud through money orders and prepaid debit cards, which were then used to purchase goods, including vehicles shipped to Nigeria and designer items.
‎
‎If convicted, each of the defendants could face up to 50 years imprisonment, bringing the combined potential sentence to 100 years.
‎
‎Eletu has reportedly been arrested in the United Kingdom following a request from US authorities, while legal proceedings are ongoing in US courts.