A Nigerian man residing in France, Chukwuemeka Amachukwu, has been extradited to the United States to face charges of computer hacking, fraud, and identity theft.
According to the US Justice Department on Tuesday, Chukwuemeka and Nigeria-based co-conspirators allegedly hacked US tax preparation businesses, stole customers’ identifying information, and filed fraudulent tax returns.
The 39-year-old was arrested in France and extradited to New York on Monday, at the request of the United States.
They obtained at least $2.5 million in tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department stated in a press release.
“Amachukwu also allegedly took part in a separate fraud scheme that promised his victims valuable investments that did not in fact exist,” US Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York said.
In addition to those schemes, Amachukwu allegedly used stolen identities to file fraudulent claims with the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan programme, obtaining an additional $819,000 in fraudulent payouts, the Justice Department stated.
He potentially faces decades behind bars if convicted of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft.
