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Nigerian Sentenced To More Than 5 Years In Prison For Fraud And Identity Theft
The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office.
A Nigerian man, Kingsley Uchelue Utulu, has been sentenced to 63 months in prison for his involvement in a sophisticated hacking, fraud, and identity theft scheme that targeted individuals and businesses across the United States.Nigerian cultural tours
The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office.
Utulu had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
"Kingsley Uchelue Utulu took part in a scheme to hack into U.S. tax preparation businesses, trade in the stolen personal identifying information, and defraud the IRS and other governmental bodies,” said U.S. Attorney Clayton.
“Offshore scammers like Utulu and his co-conspirators may think they can target hard-working Americans with their hacking and fraud schemes and avoid prosecution."
"The message from the Department and the FBI is clear, they cannot. We are committed to protecting Americans from criminals operating offshore," a statement published by the United States Justice Department read.
According to the investigation, Utulu was involved in a transnational conspiracy that exploited the personal data of thousands of U.S. citizens.
The statement stated, "The conspirators obtained the stolen identity information of thousands of individuals.
"They used this information to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities. The conspirators sought fraudulent refunds of at least approximately $8.4 million, of which they successfully obtained at least approximately $2.5 million.
"In addition to filing fraudulent tax returns, the conspirators used the stolen identities to file fraudulent claims with the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The conspirators were able to obtain at least an additional approximately $819,000 in fraudulent payouts."
FBI Assistant Director Raia emphasised the international scope and financial impact of the operation.
“Kingsley Utulu, a Nigerian national, was part of a scheme that targeted and infiltrated electronic systems of U.S.-based companies to steal more than two million dollars through fraudulent tax returns. Along with his co-conspirators, this defendant’s scheme reached across the globe to exploit sensitive information for financial gain,” the statement said.Nigerian cultural tours
"The FBI will never exempt any individual who seeks to unlawfully profit through deceitful practices, regardless of where they are located.
It was noted that the Nigerian national was apprehended in the United Kingdom and extradited to the United States to face prosecution.
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"Utulu was arrested for his involvement in this scheme while being present in the United Kingdom and was thereafter extradited to the U.S. to be prosecuted."
In addition to his prison sentence, Utulu was ordered to pay restitution of $3,683,029.39 and forfeit $290,250.
"The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Nessim is in charge of the prosecution," the statement read.