Nigerian man extradited to US over alleged $100m tax fraud scheme
Nigerian national Akinade Raheem has been extradited from Benin to the United States to face federal charges over an alleged tax fraud scheme involving more than $100 million in fraudulent refund claims.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the 43-year-old was arraigned on Monday following his extradition and is being held by the US Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
Prosecutors allege that Raheem conspired with Abayomi Eletu and other accomplices between 2018 and 2023 to submit more than 300 fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities to obtain over $100 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the suspects allegedly collected hundreds of stolen identities, used the information to file false tax returns and laundered the proceeds through prepaid debit cards and purchases of used vehicles, some of which were shipped to Nigeria and other destinations.
Investigators further allege that the group obtained sensitive personal information belonging to taxpayers and tax professionals, including names, addresses and Social Security numbers, by creating online IRS accounts and requesting confidential taxpayer records.
The stolen information was allegedly used to submit fraudulent refund claims, with payments directed to prepaid debit cards sent to addresses controlled by the suspects.
According to prosecutors, Raheem and Eletu also allegedly laundered part of the proceeds by purchasing money orders in amounts below the thresholds that would trigger mandatory reporting. The money orders were reportedly used to buy used cars from auction websites, designer clothing and other items, with some vehicles transported to Nigeria.
Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Texas Field Office, said the alleged scheme affected hundreds of taxpayers and caused losses to the US Treasury, potentially undermining programmes funded by public revenue.
Anthony Colello, Special Agent in Charge at the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, said the investigation reflected the commitment of US law enforcement agencies to identifying, arresting and prosecuting individuals accused of financial crimes.
The statement also outlined how investigators tracked Raheem before his arrest in Benin.
In April 2026, federal agents reportedly attempted to arrest him at his residence but spoke through a video doorbell to a man who identified himself as Raheem and claimed he was not home.
Less than a week later, investigators discovered that he had booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin. He arrived in the West African country on April 15, 2026, and was arrested by local authorities under an INTERPOL Red Notice.
Benin subsequently extradited him to the United States the following week, in what the US Attorney’s Office described as only the second extradition from Benin to the US in history.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia indicted Raheem on February 24, 2026. The charges include conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 14 counts of access device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, another 20 years for money laundering and up to 10 years for access device fraud. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence.
Eletu, who reportedly resides in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, was indicted in the Western District of Texas on February 17, 2026. He was subsequently arrested in the UK, where extradition proceedings are ongoing.
The case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation division and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with assistance from other US agencies and authorities in the United Kingdom and Benin.
The US Attorney’s Office emphasised that the indictment contains allegations and that Raheem and the other defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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