Man extradited from Benin to face charges in $100 million tax refund scheme

A Nigerian citizen who lived in Atlanta was arraigned in federal court this week after authorities brought him back from Benin to face charges in a scheme that prosecutors say sought more than $100 million in tax refunds. Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, was ordered held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment on Feb. 24 charging Raheem with 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. Prosecutors say that between 2018 and 2023, Raheem conspired with Abayomi Quadri Eletu, who lives in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, and others to create online accounts with the IRS and gather names, addresses and Social Security numbers from tax professionals and taxpayers. The group then filed more than 300 fraudulent returns seeking over $100 million in refunds, according to the indictment.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said the alleged scheme reached into prepaid debit cards and used car auctions. "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," Hertzberg said. He called the scope of the alleged fraud "staggering." Court documents say money orders were bought in low amounts to stay under reporting thresholds, then used for designer clothing and cars shipped to Nigeria and other locations.

Federal agents attempted to arrest Raheem at his Atlanta residence in April. He answered through a video doorbell, identified himself and said he was not home. Within a week, agents determined he had booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin. On April 15, he entered Benin and was arrested by local authorities under an INTERPOL Red Notice. Benin handed him over to the United States last week, the second extradition from Benin to the U.S. in history.

Eletu was indicted in the Western District of Texas on Feb. 17 and arrested in the United Kingdom, where extradition proceedings are pending. If convicted, Raheem faces up to 20 years for the mail and wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years for money laundering and 10 years for access device fraud, plus a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft. Officials have not announced a date for his next court appearance.