Jacksonville, FL — Eleven Nigerian nationals have been federally indicted for duping a Jacksonville business- and many others across the country- into handing over personal information of employees, so they could use that information to defraud millions from the IRS.
The indictment says multiple US businesses were targeted in the email phishing scam, where the suspects would spoof the email address of a high-level manager in the company and ask for the IRS Form W-2 for employees. That form contains personal identifying information for the employees, information that was then used to file false federal income tax returns. Using tens of thousands of W-2 Forms, the suspects falsely claimed millions of dollars in refunds, according to the US Attorney’s Office.
In order to get the refunds, the defendants allegedly developed online relationships with Americans, and then used them to accept the money, to then send to Lagos, Nigeria.
Specifically in Jacksonville, prosecutors say a transportation services and logistics company with headquarters in Jacksonville was targeted, which resulted in the information of more than 1,300 employees being compromised. The charges stem from actions in early 2016, but the joint indictment was returned this month.
The suspects are all charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud- 29-year-old Badmus Yusuff Abayomi, 30-year-old Omo Oba Adekunle Abayomi, 27-year-old Yusuf Adesoji Adris, 25-year-old Abayomi Habeeb Ojo, 23-year-old Olaymei Afolabi Ojo, 28-year-old Akanni Fatai Olaiya, 28-year-old Seriki Abdulramon Oluwaseun, 29-year-old Adetayo Adekunle Oyemade, 34-year-old Edgar Ramos Ozil, 26-year-old Emmanuel Pius Osebomen, and 40-year-ols Olaide Fatai Tijani. Ojo has also been indicted for wire fraud.
None of the 11 suspects are in custody. Each could face up to 20 years in prison is captured and ultimately convicted.
The IRS says phishing has increased up to 400% in recent years, and this business email compromise scam specifically has become more prevalent.
