A Nigerian citizen accused of helping orchestrate an international tax refund scheme seeking more than $100 million is in federal custody after authorities extradited him from Benin. Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, appeared for arraignment in Atlanta on October 26th on charges involving fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors say the operation targeted hundreds of Americans and used their stolen information to submit fraudulent returns to the IRS.
Raheem previously lived in Atlanta and allegedly worked with Abayomi Quadri Eletu, a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, along with other participants. Federal authorities say the scheme operated between 2018 and 2023 and generated more than 300 false tax returns. The investigation involved IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with assistance from authorities overseas.
The allegations describe an operation that obtained sensitive information belonging to taxpayers and tax professionals. Investigators say participants created online IRS accounts and requested private records containing names, addresses, and Social Security numbers. They allegedly used those details to file returns under other people’s identities and directed refunds onto prepaid debit cards. Prosecutors say some proceeds went toward designer clothing and used vehicles shipped to Nigeria.
An earlier Justice Department announcement detailed how participants allegedly intercepted correspondence that could have alerted taxpayers. Prosecutors said they changed taxpayers’ addresses in IRS records to locations they controlled. They also submitted forwarding requests to the Postal Service. When the IRS mailed verification letters before releasing certain refunds, participants allegedly impersonated the taxpayers, confirmed their identities, and instructed the agency to send the money.
Eletu allegedly instructed Raheem and others to acquire the prepaid cards used to receive those payments. After deposits arrived, prosecutors say participants bought money orders at post offices and local stores in amounts below reporting thresholds. Those money orders were then used for purchases, including cars from auction sites. The federal charges against Eletu include five mail fraud counts, three wire fraud counts, seven access device fraud counts, and 21 aggravated identity theft counts.
The Justice Department’s October 27th release described an unsuccessful attempt to arrest Raheem at his residence in April. Agents spoke through a video doorbell with a man identifying himself as Raheem, who said he was away. Within a week, investigators learned he had booked travel from Mexico City to Benin. Local authorities arrested him upon his April 15th arrival under an INTERPOL Red Notice.
Benin subsequently returned Raheem to American authorities in what DOJ called only the second extradition from that country to the United States. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said, “The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering.” Raheem remains detained by the U.S. Marshals Service. Eletu was separately arrested in the United Kingdom, where extradition proceedings are pending.
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Raheem’s February 24th indictment charges conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and 14 counts each of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. DOJ lists maximum penalties of 20 years for the fraud conspiracy, 20 years for money laundering, and 10 years for access device fraud if convicted. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence.