Nigerian national Matthew Akande, 36, appeared in a US court facing multiple charges, including computer intrusion, wire fraud, and identity theft, for allegedly hacking US tax preparation companies. Arrested in the UK in October 2024 and extradited to the US on March 5, 2025, Akande was indicted in 2022, but the charges were unsealed only after his arrest. Alongside co-conspirator Kehinde H. Oyetunji and others, he allegedly stole taxpayers' personal information through phishing attacks on Massachusetts tax firms, using malware to file fraudulent tax returns. The scheme, running from 2016 to 2021, sought over $8.1 million in refunds and successfully obtained $1.3 million, with funds withdrawn in the US and transferred to Mexico. Oyetunji pleaded guilty in December 2022 but has not yet been sentenced. Continue here.
