Matthew Akande Jailed 8 Years in Major U.S. Tax Fraud Crackdown

The ruling, confirmed in a statement shared by the FBI’s Cyber Division on X, also requires Akande to pay $1,393,230 in restitution and complete three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The case underscores the growing intensity of cross-border cooperation between U.S., U.K., and other international law enforcement agencies in tackling financial cybercrime.

Extradited From the U.K. After Arrest at Heathrow

Akande, 37, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in October 2024 and extradited to the United States in March 2025.

Although described by authorities as a Nigerian national living in Mexico, he was taken into custody in the United Kingdom following federal charges filed in the U.S.

The charges stemmed from a multi-year scheme in which Akande and his associates allegedly infiltrated computer networks belonging to Massachusetts-based tax preparation firms.

What the Court Said

In federal court in Boston, U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani handed down the sentence:

“A Nigerian national living in Mexico, who was extradited to the United States, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to break into Massachusetts tax preparation firms’ computer networks and to file fraudulent tax returns.”

 “Matthew A. Akande, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Akande was also ordered to pay $1,393,230 in restitution.”

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the FBI, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Division all highlighted their coordinated efforts in bringing the case to conclusion.

The DOJ’s Office of International Affairs worked with U.K. authorities to secure Akande’s extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb prosecuted the case on behalf of the Criminal Division.

How the Scheme Worked

According to federal investigators, the operation ran between June 2016 and June 2021 and involved:

• Phishing campaigns targeting tax preparation firms
  
  

• Deployment of remote access malware, including Warzone RAT
  
  

• Theft of sensitive taxpayer information
  
  

• Filing of fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities
  
  

Authorities say more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns were filed, seeking over $8.1 million in refunds.

Portions of the fraudulent refunds were allegedly transferred to Mexico at Akande’s direction. U.S. authorities confirmed that over $1.3 million in stolen refunds was successfully recovered.

READ MORE: Nigeria's Tax Revolution, Why You Have Just 30 Days to Challenge Your Assessment

Legal Background and Charges

The criminal case against Akande was formally unsealed in November 2024, though his indictment dates back to July 19, 2022.

A federal grand jury in Boston charged him with:

• Conspiracy to access protected computers
  
  

• Wire fraud
  
  

• Theft of government money
  
  

• Aggravated identity theft
  
  

At the time of his indictment, Akande was 35.

One of his co-defendants, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to conspiracy and theft of government money. His sentencing remains pending.

Federal law provides severe penalties for such offenses, including:

• Two to 20 years’ imprisonment
  
  

• Supervised release
  
  

• Fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss
  

Part of a Broader Crackdown on Cross-Border Cybercrime

Akande’s extradition is one of several recent cases involving Nigerian nationals facing prosecution in the United States for cyber-enabled financial crimes.

Recent examples include:

• Afeez Olatunji Adewale, 26, extradited from Nigeria in February 2026 over alleged sexual extortion and related financial crimes in Pennsylvania.
  
  

• Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, extradited from France in August 2025 on allegations of tax fraud, computer hacking, and wire fraud targeting U.S. authorities.
  
  

These cases highlight increasing international coordination among U.S., Nigerian, and European agencies in investigating and prosecuting cybercrime that crosses borders.

Related Developments

In September 2025, Farouk Adekunle Adepoju was arrested in the United Kingdom following a U.S. extradition request.

He is accused of:

• Gaining unauthorized access to a construction company’s email system
  
  

• Creating a spoofed domain
  
  

• Diverting payments totaling $235,266.80 intended for a Pennsylvania university
  
  

Authorities say those funds remain unrecovered. Adepoju is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

A Signal From U.S. Authorities

The Akande case reinforces a clear message from U.S. law enforcement: jurisdictional borders no longer shield individuals accused of cybercrime.

With extradition treaties actively enforced and digital evidence traceable across continents, federal authorities are increasingly able to pursue suspects regardless of where they reside.

For financial institutions, tax professionals, and individuals, the case also serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities within digital systems—and the legal consequences tied to exploiting them.