Two Nigerians Charged in $100M Tax Fraud Scheme

Akinad Raheem, 43, and Abayomi Eletu, 42, are facing serious legal repercussions in the United States for their alleged involvement in a $100 million tax fraud scheme. They are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that the men allegedly filed around 300 false tax returns, impersonating taxpayers to claim fraudulent refunds.

The scheme reportedly involved obtaining personal information from taxpayers, including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, from 2018 to 2023. The defendants are accused of laundering the funds through money orders purchased at local stores to avoid detection.

Raheem faces 14 counts of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, while Eletu faces five counts of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of access device fraud. If convicted, they could each face a maximum penalty of 100 years in prison.