A UK member of a gang accused of making millions of dollars worth of fraudulent claims for income tax refunds from the US Internal Revenue Service faces extradition
London based Olufemi Odedeyi is fighting extradition but has been arrested in absentia.
The fraud saw three individuals hacked computer servers which allowed them to steal personal data from US businesses.
The two individuals based in the US used the data to apply for income tax refunds and once the Inland Revenue Service paid out the claims, the money was split with the UK member of the gang.
The conspirators filed tax returns claiming millions of dollars in refunds to which they were not entitled.
US attorney Roger B Handberg at the Middle District of Florida said that Adetunji Adejumo and Ibrahim Jinadu have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to their roles in a transnational tax fraud scheme.
According to the plea agreements, the three conspirators obtained unauthorised access to computer servers of businesses in the US; stole from those servers the personally identifying information of US residents; and used that information to file false and fraudulent federal tax forms seeking income tax refunds from the IRS.
Adejumo and Jinadu, residing in the US, collected fraud proceeds directed to prepaid debit cards in their possession or to bank accounts they controlled or to which they had access. They then transferred a share of the fraud proceeds to other conspirators.
Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. All three individuals were arrested in September 2021.
The investigation was led by the IRS – Criminal Investigation Tampa field office and the FBI Tampa division. They also worked with the UK’s national extradition unit of the NCA.
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