A 39-year-old Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, has been extradited from France to the United States to face multiple charges related to computer hacking, fraud, and identity theft, the U.S Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
According to officials, Amachukwu and his co-conspirators based in Nigeria are accused of hacking into U.S tax preparation companies, stealing sensitive customer information, and submitting fraudulent tax returns.
These illegal activities reportedly allowed them to fraudulently obtain over $2.5 million in tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
“Amachukwu also allegedly participated in another fraud scheme where he promised victims lucrative investment opportunities that never materialized,” said Jay Clayton, U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Beyond these tax-related offenses, Amachukwu is further accused of exploiting stolen identities to file fake claims under the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program, securing an additional $819,000 in illicit funds.
Arrested in France following a U.S request, Amachukwu was extradited to New York on Monday.
If found guilty, he could face several decades in prison on charges including conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, wire fraud and identity theft.
