Matthew Abiodun Akande, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, has been sentenced to eight years in a U.S. federal prison for orchestrating a sophisticated cybercrime scheme that defrauded the American government of more than $1.3 million through fraudulent tax refunds. The scheme, which lasted five years, targeted tax preparation firms in Massachusetts, compromising sensitive personal data and generating over 1,000 fake tax returns.
Akande, who was based in Mexico during the crimes, worked with at least four co-conspirators to hack into the computer systems of these firms. They stole personally identifiable information (PII) from taxpayers and used it to submit fraudulent claims, seeking refunds exceeding $8.1 million, ultimately diverting over $1.3 million before detection. The operation, running from June 2016 to June 2021, involved phishing, malware, and unauthorized access to protected computers. Co-conspirator Kehinde H. Oyetunji, a 33-year-old Nigerian residing in North Dakota, was also implicated.
Arrested in October 2024 at London’s Heathrow Airport at the request of U.S. authorities, Akande was extradited to the United States on March 5, 2025. He pleaded guilty in April 2025 to 33 counts, including conspiracy to access protected computers without authorization, wire fraud, theft of government funds, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani sentenced him to eight years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI Boston division in cooperation with IRS Criminal Investigation. Experts say the conviction highlights the growing threat of international cyber fraud against U.S. financial systems and the risks posed to public trust in digital tax processes.
