Nigerian Couple Jailed for £433,000 Tax Fraud Scheme

Luciana and Femi Akanbi, a Nigerian couple, were sentenced to three years and nine months in prison by Judge David Miller at Woolwich Crown Court for their involvement in a large-scale tax fraud scheme that siphoned £433,000 from public funds. The couple exploited sensitive employee information from Transport for London (TfL) to submit fraudulent tax rebate claims between September 2021 and January 2022, resulting in a loss exceeding £433,000, although the total value of fraudulent claims submitted was close to £650,000.

The court highlighted the severe data breach and its wide-ranging impact on TfL staff, particularly affecting the financial records and credit ratings of employees. Luciana Akanbi, who worked in TfL's human resources department, accessed personal data of 107 employees to file 139 fraudulent claims using multiple devices.

The judge noted that the stolen funds were quickly dispersed through a complex money laundering network, with £50,000 reportedly funneled into gambling accounts. Financial pressures, including Femi Akanbi's gambling issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the crime.