A Nigerian citizen, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, currently stands trial in the United States following his extradition from France over serious allegations of cybercrime, identity theft, and wire fraud that reportedly defrauded American taxpayers and private victims of millions of dollars.
U.S. federal authorities, including the FBI and the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, confirm that Amachukwu arrives in the country under coordinated international law enforcement efforts. The suspect, also known by the aliases “Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo” and “So Kwan Leung,” appears before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger shortly after his arrival, with his case now assigned to District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
According to the unsealed court documents, Amachukwu and several co-conspirators allegedly launch a hacking campaign as early as 2019, targeting U.S.-based tax preparation firms. Using spearphishing techniques, they reportedly gain unauthorized access to systems holding confidential tax and identity data of thousands of Americans. Prosecutors state that the stolen information is then used to submit fraudulent tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and various state tax bodies.
The fraudulent tax scheme reportedly seeks over $8.4 million in refunds, with at least $2.5 million successfully disbursed to the group.
In a separate allegation, Amachukwu is accused of exploiting the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Using stolen identities, the group allegedly secures over $819,000 in relief funds.
Investigators also link Amachukwu to a fraudulent investment scheme involving fictitious standby letters of credit, through which he reportedly swindles investors by promising large returns, only to divert their funds for personal gain.
His arrest in France follows a request by U.S. authorities and is made possible through cooperation among the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and French law enforcement.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge, Christopher Raia, issues a stern warning: “Anyone engaging in cyber-enabled fraud against Americans should know we have the tools and reach to bring you to justice.”
Amachukwu, 39, faces multiple charges, including:
- One count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusions (maximum sentence: 5 years),
- Two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (up to 20 years each),
- Two counts of wire fraud (up to 20 years each),
- One count of aggravated identity theft (mandatory two-year consecutive sentence).
The case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Nessim leading the prosecution. Authorities clarify that all charges are allegations at this stage, and the defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
