By Gwurld4026 
Cyber Intrusion: Nigerian National Faces U.S. Charges
A Nigerian national, Matthew A. Akande, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to computer intrusion, wire fraud, theft of government funds, identity theft, and money laundering. Akande, 36, residing in Mexico, was apprehended at London’s Heathrow Airport in October 2024 at the request of U.S. authorities and was extradited to the U.S. on March 5, 2025.
According to the indictment, Akande allegedly conspired with others between 2018 and 2019 to hack into computer networks of tax preparation firms in Massachusetts. They purportedly stole personal identifying information from over 1,000 taxpayers and used this data to file fraudulent tax returns, seeking refunds totaling millions of dollars. The indictment also claims that Akande and his co-conspirators directed the illicit refunds into bank accounts and onto prepaid debit cards they controlled.
The charges against Akande include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, computer intrusion, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud and money laundering charges, five years for the computer intrusion charges, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft, which would run consecutively to any other sentences imposed.