Akinade Adedeji Raheem, a 43‑year‑old Nigerian, was transferred from Benin Republic to the United States on 27 October 2026 after U.S. prosecutors charged him with a multi‑year scheme that used stolen identities to file more than 300 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $100 million in refunds.
What charges does Raheem face?
On 26 October 2026, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia indicted Raheem on conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, 14 counts of access‑device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. He was arraigned the following day and is being held by the U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said, "The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering. Thanks to the dedication of the prosecution team and our law‑enforcement partners around the world, Raheem has been extradited to the United States, and his arrest confirms again that no alleged criminal can escape the reach of American justice."
How was the fraud carried out?
According to the indictment, between 2018 and 2023 Raheem, who lived in Atlanta, conspired with Abayomi Quadri Eletu – a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria – and other co‑conspirators to obtain personal data of accountants and U.S. taxpayers. They created fraudulent IRS online accounts, harvested names, addresses and Social Security numbers, and then filed false returns that demanded refunds. The proceeds were directed to prepaid debit cards whose numbers were sent to addresses controlled by the group.
How were the funds laundered?
After the refunds were deposited onto the cards, the conspirators purchased low‑value money orders to stay below reporting thresholds. Those money orders were used to buy used cars from auction sites, many of which were shipped to Nigeria, as well as designer clothing and other luxury items.
What led to Raheem’s arrest and extradition?
In April 2026, federal agents attempted to serve a warrant at Raheem’s residence; a man answering a video doorbell claimed to be Raheem but said he was not home. Within a week, investigators learned that Raheem had booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin. He arrived in Benin on 15 April 2026 and was detained by local authorities under an INTERPOL Red Notice. Benin later extradited him to the United States, marking only the second extradition from that country to the U.S.
What potential penalties could be imposed?
If convicted, Raheem faces up to 20 years in prison for each conspiracy count, another 20 years for money‑laundering, 10 years for each access‑device fraud count, and a mandatory two‑year term for aggravated identity theft.
Who else is implicated?
Eletu was indicted in the Western District of Texas on 17 February 2026 and is currently detained in the United Kingdom, where extradition proceedings are ongoing.
The investigation was led by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United Kingdom, INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Benin, and several Beninese ministries and police units. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the government bears the burden of proof at trial.