A 43-year-old Nigerian, Akinade Adedeji Raheem, has been extradited from the Republic of Benin to the United States over allegations that he conspired with others to file fraudulent tax returns seeking more than $100 million in refunds using stolen identities.
The United States Department of Justice announced the development in a statement on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, disclosing that Raheem was arraigned on Monday, October 26, on federal charges bordering on fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
According to US authorities, Raheem allegedly worked with accomplices to obtain hundreds of stolen identities, submit fraudulent tax returns and launder the proceeds through prepaid debit cards and purchases of used vehicles, some of which were shipped to Nigeria and other destinations.
US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Raheem and his alleged co-conspirators exploited stolen personal information to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
“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,” Hertzberg said.
Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Texas Field Office, Christopher J. Altemus Jr., described the alleged operation as a nationwide identity theft scheme that victimised hundreds of taxpayers and defrauded the US Treasury.
He said the investigation underscored the importance of international cooperation in tracking down suspects accused of financial crimes.
Anthony Colello, Special Agent in Charge of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), said the investigation demonstrated the commitment of US law enforcement agencies to identifying, apprehending and prosecuting individuals accused of defrauding American taxpayers.
According to court documents and information presented by prosecutors, Raheem, who resided in Atlanta, Georgia, allegedly conspired with Abayomi Quadri Eletu, a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, and other individuals between 2018 and 2023 to obtain fraudulent tax refunds using the stolen identities of accountants and American taxpayers.
Prosecutors alleged that the group filed more than 300 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $100 million in refunds from the IRS.
To execute the scheme, Raheem, Eletu and their alleged accomplices reportedly obtained sensitive personal information, including names, addresses and Social Security numbers, belonging to tax professionals and taxpayers.
The information was allegedly obtained by creating online accounts with the IRS and requesting confidential taxpayer records.
Using the stolen identities, the suspects allegedly filed tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds and instructed the IRS to distribute the money among prepaid debit cards sent to addresses controlled by members of the group.
After the funds were deposited, Raheem and Eletu allegedly laundered part of the proceeds by purchasing money orders in amounts designed to remain below applicable reporting thresholds.
Prosecutors further alleged that the money was used to purchase used vehicles through auction platforms, some of which were shipped to Nigeria. The proceeds were also allegedly spent on designer clothing and other items.
The Justice Department disclosed that US federal agents attempted to arrest Raheem at his residence in April 2026. During the visit, agents reportedly spoke through a video doorbell to a man who identified himself as Raheem and said he was not at home.
Less than a week later, investigators reportedly discovered that Raheem had booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin.
On April 15, 2026, he arrived in Benin, where local authorities arrested him pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice.
Beninese authorities subsequently extradited him to the United States, in what the Justice Department described as only the second extradition from Benin to the US in history.
Following his arraignment, Raheem was remanded in the custody of the US Marshals Service pending further court proceedings.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia indicted Raheem on February 24, 2026, on 30 counts comprising 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.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, another 20 years for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and up to 10 years for access device fraud. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a mandatory two-year prison sentence.
Meanwhile, Eletu was indicted in the Western District of Texas on February 17, 2026. He was subsequently arrested in the United Kingdom, where extradition proceedings were reportedly still pending.
The case is being investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation division and TIGTA.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service also provided assistance. US authorities acknowledged the cooperation of the United Kingdom, INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Benin and several Beninese government agencies involved in Raheem’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant US Attorney Brian Pearce of the Northern District of Georgia, alongside Senior Litigation Counsel Michael C. Boteler and Trial Attorney Michael Jones of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section, are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department stressed that the indictment contains allegations only and that Raheem and his co-defendant are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
