By Gwurld4026 
$4.9M Tax Fraud: Nigerians Face Sentencing in U.S.
Two Nigerian nationals and a Texan have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a multi-million dollar stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme in the United States. The operation exploited stolen personal identities to file fraudulent tax returns totaling approximately $4.9 million, resulting in a confirmed loss of over $390,000 to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Sentences and Details:
- Imafedia Adevokhai (47): A Nigerian national residing in Alpharetta, Georgia, Adevokhai was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to money laundering. He was also ordered to pay $90,380.60 in restitution and $3,500 in forfeiture.
- Osazuwa Peter Okunoghae (46): Based in Houston, Texas, Okunoghae received the longest sentence of the trio, amounting to 78 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was ordered to pay $451,117.63 in restitution and forfeiture.
- Michael Martin (52): From Texarkana, Texas, Martin was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges. He was also ordered to pay $90,380.60 in restitution and $121,623.41 in forfeiture.
The investigation uncovered a sophisticated operation where the individuals used personal identifying information from numerous victims to file fraudulent tax returns. Adevokhai primarily handled the preparation and submission of these returns, while Okunoghae and Martin focused on laundering the illicit proceeds through various U.S. and foreign financial institutions to obscure the source of the funds.
These convictions highlight the ongoing efforts of federal authorities to combat stolen identity refund fraud and money laundering schemes that undermine the integrity of the U.S. tax system.