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Nigerian Hacker Sentenced to Over 5 Years for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme



A Nigerian man, Kingsley Uchelue Utulu, has been sentenced to 63 months in prison for his role in a sophisticated hacking and identity theft operation that targeted U.S. businesses and individuals, resulting in millions of dollars in losses.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the sentencing on Friday, highlighting the collaborative efforts of law enforcement to bring offshore criminals to justice.

The Scheme: Hacking, Stealing, and Cashing In
According to court documents, Utulu and his Nigeria-based co-conspirators engaged in a wide-ranging scheme that began around 2019. Here’s a breakdown of their operation:

Hacking Tax Businesses: The group targeted U.S.-based tax preparation companies with "spearphishing" emails to gain unauthorized access to their computer systems.
Stealing Identities: Once inside, they stole the sensitive personal and financial data of thousands of American taxpayers.
Fraudulent Tax Filings: Using the stolen information, the conspirators filed fraudulent tax returns with the IRS and state tax authorities, attempting to claim at least $8.4 million in refunds. They successfully obtained approximately $2.5 million.
Defrauding the SBA: The scheme also involved using the stolen identities to file false claims with the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, fraudulently securing an additional $819,000.
"Kingsley Uchelue Utulu took part in a scheme to hack into U.S. tax preparation businesses, trade in the stolen personal identifying information, and defraud the IRS and other governmental bodies," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. He emphasized the clear message to offshore scammers: "We are committed to protecting Americans from criminals operating offshore."

Justice Served
Utulu was arrested in the United Kingdom and extradited to the United States to face charges. In addition to his prison sentence of more than five years, the 38-year-old was ordered to pay:

Restitution: $3,683,029.39
Forfeiture: $290,250
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia praised the investigative work that dismantled the global scheme. "The FBI will never exempt any individual who seeks to unlawfully profit through deceitful practices, regardless of where they are located," Raia stated.

The successful prosecution sends a strong signal that U.S. law enforcement will vigorously pursue and hold accountable international cybercriminals who target Americans.
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