The United States Justice Department has unsealed charges against two men accused of a cyber scheme targeting Massachusetts tax preparation firms. The alleged operation involved the theft of sensitive client information for the filing of fraudulent tax returns to syphon government funds. As reported by the
United States Attorney’s Office
for the District of Massachusetts, Matthew A. Akande, 35, was arrested in the United Kingdom and faces a series of charges, including wire fraud and identity theft. His associate, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, 33, has already pleaded guilty to related charges.
The operation was sophisticated and long-running, starting around June 2016 and ending in June 2021. The two men, alongside unnamed co-conspirators, are alleged to have used phishing emails to infiltrate tax firms and install malicious software to gain unauthorized access to private client information. They purportedly filed over a thousand fraudulent tax returns, directing over $8.1 million in illegal refunds into controlled bank accounts. The indictment outlines that they managed to obtain at least $1.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds. The authorities have encouraged any businesses suspecting similar cyberattacks to immediately report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Akande was taken into custody on October 15 of this year and is currently awaiting the extradition process, with the U.S. seeking to bring him to trial for his role in the scheme. Meanwhile, Oyetunji’s sentencing is pending a later scheduled date before U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley. The broad range of charges he faces include conspiracy, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. Each of these crimes carries a potentially severe penalty, indicating the significant nature of the offenses.
The Justice Department has emphasized that despite the unsealing of the charges, the allegations must be proven in a court of law, with the defendants presumed innocent until such proof is demonstrated. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, with Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy alongside FBI and IRS officials announcing the charges.
Amidst this narrative of cyber manipulation, the Justice Department’s release reinforces the resolve to swiftly pursue, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who dare to undermine the cyber sanctity of the nation’s financial and personal security.
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