A 47-year-old Nigerian, Imafedia Adevokhai, has been sentenced to 46 months in jail by a U.S. courtroom for his function in a multi-year id theft and tax refund fraud scheme, ensuing within the theft of almost $5 million.
This was confirmed in a press release by the Performing U.S. Legal professional for the Jap District of Texas, Abe McGlothin Jr.
Adevokhai was discovered responsible of conspiring with two different U.S.-based Nigerians, Michael Martin and Osazuwa Okunoghae, to steal the identities of Americans and file fraudulent tax returns to say refunds.
In line with the assertion, Adevokhai was primarily accountable for making ready and submitting the faux tax returns, whereas Martin and Okunoghae dealt with laundering the illicit proceeds.
The assertion reads: “Proof introduced in courtroom confirmed that Adevokhai, Martin, Okunoghae, and others have been concerned in a stolen id refund fraud conspiracy. They used the stolen private data of victims to file fraudulent tax returns, leading to claims for a complete of $4,945,886 in tax refunds. The precise {financial} loss to the U.S. Division of Treasury and the IRS was $390,220.40.”
Adevokhai, who resides in Alpharetta, Georgia, pleaded responsible to cash laundering on 15 February 2023. On 2 April 2025, U.S. District Choose Robert W. Schroeder III sentenced him to jail, together with ordering restitution of $90,380.60 and forfeiture of $3,500.
Martin and Okunoghae had already been sentenced after pleading responsible to associated offenses.
Michael Martin, 52, of Texarkana, Texas, pleaded responsible to conspiracy on 14 February 2023, and was sentenced to 18 months in federal jail on 21 November 2023. He was additionally ordered to pay $90,380.60 in restitution and forfeit $121,623.41.
Osazuwa Peter Okunoghae, 46, of Houston, pleaded responsible to cash laundering conspiracy on 12 November 2019. He was sentenced to 78 months in federal jail on 13 January 2022 and ordered to pay $451,117.63 in restitution and an equal quantity in forfeiture.
McGlothin reaffirmed the U.S. authorities’s dedication to holding people accountable for his or her involvement in fraudulent actions.
“The Jap District of Texas stays dedicated to prosecuting people who steal private data, file fraudulent tax returns, and launder legal proceeds. These crimes hurt particular person victims whose identities are stolen, taxpayers left with the invoice, and {financial} establishments misused within the course of,” the assertion concluded.