UK court sentences Nigerian husband and wife to three-year prison term for £433,000 scam

A Nigerian couple, Luciana and Femi Akanbi, have been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for their role in a tax rebate fraud scheme that exploited stolen personal data of Transport for London employees, resulting in a loss of over £433,000 to the public purse.

n

The fraud, which occurred between September 2021 and January 2022, involved the sensitive information of at least 40 TfL workers, including passport details, National Insurance numbers, and bank records, and was used to file 139 fake tax refund claims.

n

Court proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court revealed that Luciana Akanbi, 38, who worked in TfL's human resources department, had access to the personal records of about 107 employees, which were later exploited for the scheme.

n

Prosecutors alleged that the couple used the stolen details to create multiple self-assessment accounts and submit fraudulent claims to HM Revenue and Customs using at least 38 electronic devices operated from their home and other locations.

n

Although the total value of claims submitted was nearly £650,000, authorities confirmed that the actual loss amounted to more than £433,000, with the proceeds of the fraud quickly laundered through a complex network.

n

Delivering judgment, Judge David Miller stated that the case represented the most severe data breach in the history of the transport authority, and that it had a significant impact on TfL, affecting staff morale and performance.

n

Judge Miller noted that the couple had acquired and used the personal details of 40 employees to make claims for tax rebates, and that they had accessed the details of 107 employees, setting up 139 claims using 38 computer devices.

n

The court heard that the money lost to HMRC amounted to just over £433,000, which was almost instantly dissipated in a complex money laundering scheme.

n

Prosecutor Andrew Evans described the operation as sophisticated, involving extensive preparation and a large number of victims, and that the proceeds of the fraud were rapidly moved through a complex money laundering network.

n

Evidence presented in court showed that about £66,000 was traced to Femi's bank account, while £16,000 was linked to his wife, although the court held that their total benefit from the scheme exceeded those amounts.

n

Financial pressures, including Femi's struggles with a gambling addiction following illness during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the crime, with Judge Miller noting that over £50,000 of the stolen funds had been paid into various gambling accounts.

n

Luciana, a mother of three, initially attempted to deflect blame by suggesting that a relative working in the IT sector may have been responsible for the data breach, but Judge Miller ruled that both defendants were central to the scheme.

n

The judge stated that the fraud was only possible because of the access granted to Luciana as a trusted employee, and that the couple's actions had caused immense damage to third parties, including damage to their credit ratings and finances.

n

Following the ruling, a representative of Transport for London said the organisation had strengthened its internal data protection systems to prevent a recurrence, and welcomed the court's sentencing of the couple.

n

A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs warned that the agency would continue to pursue individuals who attempt to exploit the tax system, and the court indicated that the couple could face deportation proceedings after serving their sentences.