US Authorities Extradite Nigerian Man Accused of Hacking and Fraud

A significant development has taken place in the ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime and identity theft, as a 39-year-old Nigerian man named Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu has been extradited to the US from France. Amachukwu, who also operates under the aliases Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo and So Kwan Leung, is accused of masterminding multiple illicit fraud schemes that have left a trail of destruction in their wake.

"Amachukwu allegedly operated multiple illicit fraud schemes – identity theft, computer intrusions via spear phishing, and false investments – profiting at the costs of others," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. "If you are attempting to enrich yourself by scamming Americans from behind a keyboard, the FBI with our extensive law enforcement partnerships is willing and able to bring you to the United States to face justice."

According to the US Attorney's Office, Amachukwu is connected to a scheme to hack into US tax businesses, trade in stolen identifying information of victims, and defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other governmental bodies. He worked with co-conspirator Kinglsey Uchelue Utulu and other Nigeria-based collaborators on this scheme, which began in 2019.

The group's nefarious plan involved hacking into US-based tax preparation businesses and using spear phishing emails to obtain access to their electronic systems. Once they had obtained access, the conspirators stole the tax and other identifying information of thousands of the business' customers. This information was then used to file fraudulent tax returns with the IRS and state tax authorities.

The conspirators sought fraudulent refunds of at least approximately $8.4m, of which they successfully obtained at least approximately $2.5m. In addition to filing fraudulent tax returns, the conspirators also used the stolen identities to file fraudulent claims with the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

According to the US Attorney's Office, the conspirators were able to obtain at least an additional $819,000 in fraudulent payouts. The scope of this operation is staggering, and it highlights the ongoing threats posed by cybercrime and identity theft.

The Charges Against Amachukwu

Amachukwu has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.

Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. The extradition and charges against Amachukwu demonstrate the US government's commitment to protecting its citizens from these types of threats and holding those responsible accountable for their actions.