Nigerian Couple Jailed for £433,000 Tax Fraud in UK

Luciana and Femi Akanbi, a Nigerian couple, were sentenced to three years in prison by Judge David Miller at Woolwich Crown Court for their involvement in a sophisticated tax rebate fraud scheme that resulted in a loss of £433,000 to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The fraudulent activities took place between September 2021 and January 2022 and involved at least 40 workers who filed 139 fake tax claims, costing a total of £649,000, with £433,000 lost to HMRC.

Prosecutor Andrew Evan described the scale of the fraud as requiring significant planning and involving a large number of victims. The case highlighted the severe breach of data protection, as the scheme utilized stolen personal data from Transport for London employees.

The court emphasized the need for stronger data protection measures and warned that HMRC would continue to pursue individuals exploiting the tax system.