Summary: Matthew Akande, a Nigerian national, has been charged in the US with multiple offenses, including wire fraud and identity theft, related to a hacking scheme targeting tax preparation firms. Alongside co-conspirators, he allegedly exploited stolen personal information to file fraudulent tax returns, obtaining over .3 million in illegal refunds. His arrest follows a lengthy investigation into the illicit activities spanning from 2016 to 2021.
Affected: US tax preparation companies and taxpayers
Keypoints :
- Matthew Akande was arrested in the UK and extradited to the US to face multiple serious charges.
- The co-conspirators used phishing techniques to compromise tax preparation firms’ networks and steal personal information.
- The group filed over 1,000 fraudulent tax returns, attempting to claim over .1 million in refunds.
- Akande’s accomplice, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, has pleaded guilty to related charges but has yet to be sentenced.
Source: https://www.securityweek.com/nigerian-accused-of-hacking-tax-preparation-firms-extradited-to-us/