• A Nigerian couple has been jailed in the UK for a £433,000 tax fraud scheme
• The fraud involved stolen personal data from Transport for London employees
• The wife, Luciana Akanbi used her HR position to access the records of 107 staff members and filed 139 false tax rebate claims using the identities of 40 employees

A Nigerian couple, Luciana Akanbi and Femi Akanbi, have been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom after orchestrating a major fraud scheme involving the stolen personal data of employees of Transport for London.

The couple were each handed jail terms of three years and nine months after fraudulently obtaining more than £433,000 from false tax rebate claims made to HM Revenue and Customs.

According to court proceedings, Luciana, 38, worked in the human resources department of Transport for London and used her role to gain access to sensitive information belonging to colleagues.

The information included passport details, National Insurance numbers and bank account records.

Prosecutors told Woolwich Crown Court that the couple used the details of at least 40 employees to file 139 fraudulent tax rebate claims between September 2021 and January 2022.

Although the fraudulent claims submitted were worth almost £650,000, the actual loss to the UK government exceeded £433,000.

Delivering judgment, David Miller described the case as the most serious data breach ever suffered by Transport for London.

Judge Miller said, “TfL suffered their worst ever data breach. It meant they had to change their systems.

“It affected their morale, I am told, and staff performance. You acquired and used the personal details of 40 employees in relation to making the claims for tax rebates, but accessed the details of 107 employees.

“There were 139 claims in respect of 40 employees by self-assessment accounts being set up by you and others, using 38 computer devices from your own home and others. The effect was that there were 139 claims for tax rebates totalling just under £649,000.

“The money lost to HMRC amounted to just over £433,000. That money was almost instantly dissipated in a complex money laundering scheme.”

The court heard that Luciana had worked for Transport for London since 2017 and used her access to retrieve the personal information of 107 employees.

Prosecutor Andrew Evans described the scheme as highly organised.

“The fraud was sophisticated in nature, required significant planning and involved a large number of victims,” he said.

He also noted that the proceeds were quickly moved through an elaborate money laundering network.

Evidence presented in court showed that around £66,000 was traced to Femi’s bank account, while another £16,000 was linked directly to Luciana.

The court, however, ruled that the pair benefited far beyond those figures.

Financial problems were also raised during the proceedings, with Femi said to have developed a gambling addiction after becoming ill during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judge Miller revealed that more than £50,000 of the stolen funds had been transferred into gambling accounts.

The court also heard that Luciana initially tried to shift blame by suggesting that a relative working in IT may have been responsible for the breach.

Judge Miller rejected that explanation and said the fraud depended on the level of trust placed in Luciana as an employee.

“You, Luciana Akanbi, had been colleagues with some of these people who were extremely badly let down.

“That is damaging; to have your credit ratings impacted, to deal with HMRC and to have to rearrange your finances. There was immense damage to third parties,” the judge said.

The court ruled that no compensation order would be made because the couple had no recoverable assets.

Following the sentencing, a representative of Transport for London said the agency had tightened its internal data security measures.

“We take any cases of fraud extremely seriously and welcome the court’s sentencing of these two individuals.

“This crime meant that hundreds of thousands of pounds was unable to be reinvested elsewhere to the wider public benefit, and involved working closely with HM Revenue and Customs to secure a successful prosecution,” the representative said.

A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs also warned that the agency would continue to pursue anyone attempting to abuse the tax system.

The court further indicated that the couple may face deportation proceedings after completing their prison sentences.

2 Nigerians extradited to US for sexual extortion, death of American citizen

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that two Nigerians, Aina, 26, and Abiodun, 24, have been extradited from Nigeria to the United States to face charges of sexual extortion and the death of a young man in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

According to the report, Aina could be sentenced to life imprisonment if found guilty, whereas Abiodun could receive a maximum of 40 years.