Matthew Akande, a 36-year-old Nigerian national, was extradited to the United States on March 5, 2025, to face multiple charges, including computer intrusion, wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. Akande is accused of participating in a large-scale hacking operation that targeted Massachusetts-based tax preparation firms, stealing personal information to file fraudulent tax returns.
Arrested in the UK in October 2024, Akande was charged in 2022, but his indictment was only unsealed after his arrest. He allegedly worked alongside co-conspirator Kehinde H. Oyetunji, a 33-year-old Nigerian living in North Dakota, and other accomplices, to steal taxpayer data over several years.
The scheme began in February 2020, when the group used phishing emails to deploy malware—specifically the Warzone RAT—to infiltrate the networks of five tax firms. Akande then used the stolen personal information and previous tax returns to file fraudulent claims, redirecting tax refunds to accounts opened by Oyetunji and others.
Over a five-year period, from June 2016 to June 2021, the group filed more than 1,000 fraudulent returns, attempting to claim over $8.1 million in refunds. They successfully received over $1.3 million, which was partially withdrawn in the U.S. and funneled through third parties to Mexico.
Akande now faces a lengthy legal battle in the U.S., where authorities continue to investigate the full extent of the operation.
