UK Court Jails Nigerian Couple Over £433,000 Fraud Scheme

A United Kingdom court has sentenced a Nigerian couple, Luciana Akanbi and Femi Akanbi, to prison for their involvement in a large-scale tax fraud and data breach scheme.

The couple were each handed a prison term of three years and nine months by a UK court after being found guilty of orchestrating fraudulent tax rebate claims using stolen personal data.

According to prosecutors, Luciana Akanbi, who worked in the human resources department of Transport for London, abused her position to access sensitive personal information of colleagues, including passport details, National Insurance numbers, and bank records.

The stolen data was then used by the couple to submit at least 139 fraudulent tax rebate claims to HM Revenue and Customs, affecting no fewer than 40 employees.

Investigators revealed that the fraud, which took place between September 2021 and January 2022, led to a loss of over £433,000 to the UK public purse, while total attempted claims approached £650,000.

During sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court, the presiding judge described the case as one of the most severe internal data breaches in the history of Transport for London, noting that the crime caused significant financial and emotional distress to victims.

The court also heard that proceeds from the fraud were quickly moved through a complex money laundering network, with part of the funds reportedly spent on gambling.

Authorities say the case highlights the growing risks of insider data abuse and financial fraud, with UK officials vowing continued crackdown on tax-related crimes and identity theft.