A Nigerian man has been handed a 40-month prison sentence for participating in a sophisticated identity theft and tax fraud scheme that targeted numerous companies across the United States. Onomen Uduebor, 39, was extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges in the Western District of Washington, where he subsequently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller.
The scheme, which ran from February 2016 to April 2017, involved the conspirators using false emails crafted to appear as if they were sent by company executives, soliciting W-2 data from Human Resources departments. The replies were manipulated to be redirected to an email address controlled by the fraudsters. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Uduebor alone admits to having filed 150 false tax returns in an attempt to unjustly claim more than $1 million in tax refunds, though he claims to have personally received only $10,000.
District Judge James L. Robart pointed out the defendant's significant role in the fraudulent activities during the sentencing, saying, per the U.S. Department of Justice, "He freely participated in the fraud and had a substantial role in the scheme. Thirty years old is not a young man and he ought to have known better." IRS efforts managed to intercept most of the fraudulent filings, but this still left victims grappling with tax complications and a breached sense of security. The total restitution owed to the U.S. Treasury is $122,720, of which Uduebor was ordered to forfeit his $10,000 share and contribute to.
The case, which concluded with Uduebor's conviction and sentencing, was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Following his prison term, it is anticipated that Uduebor will likely be deported to Nigeria.
