UK Court Jails Nigerian Couple over £433,000 Tax Scam

A United Kingdom court has sentenced a Nigerian couple, Luciana and Femi Akanbi, to three years and nine months’ imprisonment each for orchestrating a multi-layered tax fraud scheme that drained over £433,000 from public funds, in what authorities described as a historic data breach at Transport for London.

The conviction, secured at Woolwich Crown Court, followed revelations that the couple exploited sensitive personal data belonging to dozens of Transport for London employees to file fraudulent tax rebate claims.

Luciana, 38, who worked in the agency’s human resources department, was found to have abused her position by unlawfully accessing confidential records of colleagues, including passport details, National Insurance numbers and banking information.

Prosecutors told the court that the stolen data of at least 40 employees was used to submit no fewer than 139 fake tax rebate claims to HM Revenue and Customs between September 2021 and January 2022.

Although the total value of claims filed approached £650,000, the fraudulent operation successfully siphoned more than £433,000 before it was uncovered.

Delivering judgment, Judge David Miller described the incident as the most severe data compromise ever suffered by the transport authority, noting its far-reaching consequences on staff welfare and institutional operations.

The judge observed that the breach forced systemic changes within the organisation and negatively impacted employee morale and performance, as victims grappled with damaged credit profiles and financial disruptions.

He further noted that the couple deployed multiple digital devices—up to 38 in total—to execute the scheme, setting up self-assessment accounts to process the fraudulent claims.

According to the court, the proceeds were swiftly funnelled through an intricate money laundering network, making recovery difficult.

Investigations revealed that about £66,000 of the stolen funds was traced to Femi Akanbi’s bank accounts, while approximately £16,000 was linked to his wife, though the court held that their overall gain exceeded those figures.

Prosecuting counsel, Andrew Evans, described the operation as highly sophisticated, involving meticulous planning and a wide pool of victims, adding that the funds were rapidly dispersed through layered financial transactions.

The court also heard that financial strain played a role in the crime, with Femi reportedly battling a gambling addiction that worsened during illness in the COVID-19 period. Over £50,000 of the proceeds was said to have been spent on gambling platforms.

Luciana, a mother of three, was also criticised for initially attempting to shift blame to a relative in the IT sector, a claim the court dismissed.

Judge Miller emphasised that the fraud was made possible by the trust reposed in Luciana as an employee, stating that her actions constituted a grave betrayal of colleagues whose personal data she exploited.

He added that the impact on victims was severe, as many were forced to engage with tax authorities to resolve issues arising from the fraudulent claims.

The court declined to issue a compensation order, citing the absence of recoverable assets.

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In its reaction, Transport for London said it had since reinforced its data protection architecture to prevent future breaches, while commending the outcome of the prosecution.

Similarly, HM Revenue and Customs warned that it would continue to clamp down on individuals seeking to manipulate the tax system.

The court indicated that the couple may face deportation proceedings upon completion of their jail terms.