Wednesday, August 6, 2025 - A 39-year-old Nigerian man, Chukwuemeka Victor Amarachukwu has been extradited to the U.S. from France in connection with hacking, fraud, and identity theft offenses.
Amarachukwu, a.k.a Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo",
a/k/a “So Kwan Leung,” was extradited on Monday, August 4, 2025, at
the request of the United States.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,
Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced
this in a statement on Tuesday, August 5.
Amarachukwu was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge
Robert W. Lehrburger. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G.
Gardephe.
According to the US Department of Justice, Amarachukwu took
part in a scheme to hack into U.S. tax businesses, trade in the stolen
information of victims, and defraud the IRS and other governmental
bodies.
“Amarachukwu also allegedly took part in a separate fraud
scheme that promised his victims valuable investments that did not in fact
exist. This Office and our law enforcement partners stand committed to
protecting Americans from criminals operating here and offshore,” U.S. Attorney
Jay Clayton, said.
“Amachukwu allegedly operated multiple illicit fraud schemes
– identity theft, computer intrusions via spearphishing, and false investments
– profiting at the costs of others,” said FBI Assistant Director in
Charge Christopher G. Raia. “If you are attempting to enrich
yourself by scamming Americans from behind a keyboard, the FBI with our
extensive law enforcement partnerships is willing and able to bring you to the
United States to face justice.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, public court
filings, and statements made in court.
Beginning in at least in or about 2019, AMACHUKWU, his
co-conspirator Kinglsey Uchelue Utulu, and other Nigeria-based conspirators
took part in a scheme to hack into U.S-based tax preparation
businesses—including several U.S. based businesses located in New York, Texas,
and other states—by utilizing spearphishing emails to obtain access to these
business’s electronic systems. Once they had obtained access, the
conspirators stole the tax and other identifying information of the business’
customers.
The conspirators obtained the stolen identity information of
thousands of individuals and used this information to file fraudulent tax
returns with the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities. The
conspirators sought fraudulent refunds of at least approximately $8.4 million,
of which they successfully obtained at least approximately $2.5 million.
In addition to filing fraudulent tax returns, the
conspirators used the stolen identities to file fraudulent claims with the
Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
The conspirators were able to obtain at least an additional approximately
$819,000 in fraudulent payouts.
Amarachukwu is also charged with participating in a separate
fraud scheme. In this scheme, the defendant offered victims investments
in purportedly valuable standby letters of credit. However, these letters
of credit did not exist, and AMACHUKWU pocketed millions of dollars of his
victims’ money.
Amarachukwu was arrested in France at the request of the
United States for his involvement in this scheme, and he was thereafter
extradited to the U.S.
Amarachukwu is charged with one count of conspiracy to
commit computer intrusions, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in
prison; two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum
sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of wire fraud, which carries a
maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which
carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences
in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational
purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the
judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of
the FBI, as well as the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of
International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service in securing the arrest and
extradition from France. Mr. Clayton further thanked the French National
Gendarmerie for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the
Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney
Daniel G. Nessim is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are
merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until
proven guilty.
0 Comments