A Nigerian national, Akinade Raheem, has been extradited from Benin to the United States to answer federal charges in an alleged tax fraud scheme involving over $100m in fraudulent refund claims.
In a Tuesday statement, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said that Raheem, 43, was arraigned on Monday after his extradition and is being held in the custody of the US Marshals Service while further proceedings are pending.
The office stated that Raheem allegedly conspired with Abayomi Eletu and others from 2018 to 2023 to file more than 300 false tax returns using stolen identities, seeking over $100m in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service.
“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 US 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,” he added.
According to the statement, the defendants allegedly obtained sensitive personal information belonging to tax professionals and taxpayers including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting private taxpayer information.
The office said Raheem, Eletu, and their alleged co-conspirators used the stolen information to file tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds, sending the payments to prepaid debit cards shipped to addresses they controlled.
The statement added that Raheem and Eletu allegedly laundered some of the proceeds by purchasing money orders in amounts low enough to stay below reporting thresholds.
According to the office, they allegedly used the money orders to buy used cars from auction sites, some of which were shipped to Nigeria, along with designer clothing and other items.
Christopher J. Altemus Jr., the Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Texas Field Office, said the alleged scheme victimized hundreds of taxpayers and affected the US Treasury.
“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,” Altemus said.
He added, “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.”
Anthony Colello, the Special Agent-in-Charge at the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, said the investigation showed how committed the agencies involved are to combating fraud.
“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,” Colello said.
The statement described in detail how investigators traced Raheem prior to his arrest in Benin.
In April 2026, federal law enforcement agents tried to arrest him at his home. According to the office, the agents communicated via a video doorbell with a man who said he was Raheem and claimed he was not at home.
The statement said that less than a week later, investigators learned Raheem had booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin.
He reached Benin on April 15, 2026, where local authorities arrested him under an INTERPOL Red Notice. The following week, Benin authorities extradited him to the United States, which the office called the second extradition from Benin to the US in history.
On February 24, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia indicted Raheem on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, 14 counts of access device fraud, and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft.
The statement noted that he faces maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 20 years for money laundering, and 10 years for access device fraud. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year sentence.
The office also revealed that Eletu, who lives 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 IRS Criminal Investigation and TIGTA are investigating the case. The statement also recognized assistance from the US Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United Kingdom, and authorities in Benin.
The office stated that Assistant US Attorney Brian Pearce of the Northern District of Georgia, together with Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section, would prosecute the case.
The US Attorney’s Office reminded the public that the indictment contains only allegations and that the defendants are presumed innocent.
“The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” the statement said.
