A Nigerian man based in France, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, has been extradited to the United States over a major cybercrime case that allegedly left victims across the U.S. reeling from financial loss.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Amachukwu—who also used aliases like Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo and So Kwan Leung—was flown into the U.S. from France on Monday and made his first court appearance the following day in New York. His arrest is tied to a sophisticated online scheme that reportedly defrauded individuals and government agencies of over $819,000, with a much bigger fraud attempt totaling $8.4 million.
U.S. authorities say Amachukwu wasn’t working alone. Alongside other conspirators—some of whom were also based in Nigeria—he allegedly hacked into tax firms and stole sensitive personal and financial data from unsuspecting Americans.
“He didn’t just steal identities,” said Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. “He used them to file fake tax returns, apply for government loans, and sell fake investment deals to innocent people.”
The FBI believes Amachukwu and his team used spearphishing emails—a deceptive tactic that tricks people into clicking malicious links—to gain access to the internal systems of tax preparation businesses in states like New York and Texas. Once in, they allegedly harvested customer data and used it to request fraudulent tax refunds and Small Business Administration loans.
The impact was massive. Out of $8.4 million in fake tax refunds filed, the group allegedly pocketed $2.5 million. Then came another wave: over $819,000 claimed from COVID-era small business loans meant to support struggling entrepreneurs.
But it didn’t stop there.
Amachukwu is also accused of operating an investment scam, promising victims massive returns from supposedly valuable financial documents called “standby letters of credit.” Those letters? Completely fake. Authorities say he pocketed millions from those false promises too.
Now 39 years old, Amachukwu is facing multiple charges including wire fraud, identity theft, and computer hacking. If convicted, he could spend up to 47 years in prison.
FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia had a stern warning for cybercriminals operating from overseas:
“If you think you can scam Americans from behind a keyboard, think again. We will track you down, wherever you are.”
His case is currently being handled by Judge Paul G. Gardephe in the Southern District of New York. U.S. officials also extended gratitude to the French authorities, who helped track and arrest Amachukwu, leading to his eventual extradition.
As the case unfolds, it’s a chilling reminder of how fast digital fraud can move—and how wide its impact can spread.
