A 43-year-old Nigerian citizen, Akinade Adedeji Raheem, who allegedly conspired to file fraudulent tax returns seeking over $100 million in refunds using stolen identities was extradited to the United States from Benin Republic.
The United States Department of Justice announced this in a statement on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Raheem was arraigned on Monday, October 26, on federal fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft charges.
"Raheem and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained hundreds of stolen identities, filed fraudulent tax returns using that information, and laundered the proceeds through prepaid debit cards and purchases of used cars that were shipped to Nigeria and other locations,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
“The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering. Thanks to the dedication of the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners around the world, Raheem has been extradited to the United States, and his arrest confirms again that no alleged criminal can escape the reach of American justice.”
“Raheem is an alleged co-conspirator in a nationwide identity theft scheme that victimized hundreds of taxpayers. The fraud also stole from the U.S. Treasury, impacting programs serving us all. These come with repercussions that are long lasting, which is why we place a global emphasis on arresting and extraditing these individuals,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr., of IRS-CI’s Texas Field Office.
“Protect your tax returns with an identity protection pin at IRS.gov and know that we are pursuing financial criminals to take back the stolen money and their freedom.”
“The investigative efforts of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and its partners, along with the prosecutorial work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, demonstrate the commitment to pursuing, capturing, and prosecuting those who try to defraud the American people,” said TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Colello.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between 2018 and 2023, Raheem, who resided in Atlanta, and Abayomi Quadri Eletu, a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, conspired together and with others to claim fraudulent tax refunds using the stolen identities of accountants and American taxpayers.
Over the course of their scheme, they allegedly filed more than 300 false tax returns claiming over $100 million in refunds from the IRS.
Raheem, Eletu, and others allegedly obtained sensitive identifying information for tax professionals and taxpayers, including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting private taxpayer information.
Using the personal identifying information of others, Raheem, Eletu, and their co-conspirators allegedly filed tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds and then directed the IRS to split the refunds among prepaid debit cards shipped to addresses controlled by the co-conspirators.
After the refunds were deposited onto the prepaid debit cards, Raheem and Eletu laundered some of the funds by purchasing, among other things, money orders in amounts low enough to avoid reporting thresholds. They also used the money orders to purchase used cars from auction sites, some of which they shipped to Nigeria, as well as designer clothing and other items.
In April 2026, federal law enforcement agents sought to arrest Raheem at his residence and spoke to a man who identified himself as Raheem through a video doorbell and stated he was not home.
