Nigerian Man Jailed Eight Years in US Over $15m Fraud Schemes
A Nigerian man, Chukwuemeka Amachukwu, has been sentenced to eight years in prison in the United States for his involvement in multiple fraud schemes involving cyberattacks, identity theft and financial deception worth more than $15 million.
US District Judge Paul G. Gardephe handed down the sentence on Monday after Amachukwu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay $3,647,629.39 in restitution and surrender assets valued at $10,846,634.39.
Court documents revealed that Amachukwu began working with other Nigeria-based accomplices, including Kingsley Uchelue Utulu, around 2019 to target tax preparation companies operating in New York, Texas and other parts of the United States.
The group allegedly used spear-phishing emails to infiltrate the companies' computer systems and obtain sensitive customer information. The stolen data, which included tax records and personal identification details, was reportedly linked to at least 800 customers and was subsequently used to submit fraudulent tax returns to federal and state authorities.
According to the US Department of Justice, the conspirators sought approximately $8.4 million through fraudulent tax refund claims and successfully collected at least $2.5 million. They also exploited stolen identities to submit false applications under the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan programme, obtaining an additional $819,000.
Amachukwu was also involved in a separate investment scam in which he offered victims purportedly valuable standby letters of credit. Prosecutors said he impersonated a wealthy foreign financier to convince investors that the opportunities were legitimate, although the investments did not exist. The scheme generated more than $7 million for him and his associates.
US Attorney Jamie McDonald said the defendant participated in sophisticated criminal operations that compromised businesses, exploited victims' identities and caused substantial financial harm. She stressed that the eight-year sentence reflected the seriousness of the offences and their consequences for victims and the wider public.
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