A France-based Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, is facing up to 47 years in prison in the United States following his extradition on charges related to wire fraud, computer hacking and identity theft.
According to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, the 39-year-old was extradited from France on Monday and arraigned the next day before a U.S. magistrate.
Federal prosecutors allege that in 2019, Amachukwu and unnamed co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to several U.S.-based tax preparation businesses, including firms in New York and Texas, using spearphishing emails.
The group reportedly stole personal information from clients, which was then used to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The statement revealed that the suspects sought at least $8.4 million in bogus refunds, successfully obtaining around $2.5 million.
An additional $819,000 was allegedly secured through fraudulent claims filed with the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programme.
Amachukwu now faces multiple charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions (maximum five years), two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (20 years each), two counts of wire fraud (20 years each), and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively.
He also faces charges in a separate case involving an alleged investment fraud scheme.
Prosecutors said Amachukwu defrauded victims by promising returns from non-existent standby letters of credit, stealing millions of dollars in the process.