The United States Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit seeking to revoke the citizenship of a Nigerian man, Emmanuel Oluwatosin Kazeem, who was previously jailed for his role in a large-scale fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.
According to a statement released by the department, Kazeem was convicted in 2018 on 19 counts related to wire fraud, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud. The case, which involved stolen identities and fake tax filings, is one of the major fraud investigations handled by US authorities in recent years.
The case began in 2013 when a victim in Medford, Oregon, reported suspicious activity to the Internal Revenue Service. The victim said that false federal and state tax returns had been filed using her personal details and those of her husband.
This report triggered a wider investigation that uncovered a complex fraud network. Authorities later found that the scheme involved the use of stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers and dates of birth, to file fake tax returns and claim refunds.
Investigators traced the operation to several locations across the United States, including homes in Illinois, Maryland, and Georgia.
During the investigation, law enforcement agents carried out searches at multiple locations linked to Kazeem and his associates. At a residence in Chicago, officials recovered about 150 prepaid debit cards and $50,000 in money orders.
Further searches in Maryland and Georgia led to the seizure of more than 50 electronic devices, 40 money orders worth over $29,000, and $14,000 in cash. Authorities also found prepaid debit cards containing more than $12,000 in fraudulent tax refunds.
These findings helped investigators identify Kazeem as the leader of the fraud network.
The Department of Justice said the fraud operation was extensive and affected a large number of victims. According to the statement, Kazeem and his co-conspirators had access to personal data belonging to more than 259,000 individuals.
The stolen identities were reportedly purchased from a hacker based in Vietnam, who had obtained the data from a private database belonging to a company that conducted background checks.
Kazeem was said to have bought over 91,000 identities, which were then shared among members of the fraud network. These identities were used to file thousands of fake tax returns between 2012 and 2015.
Authorities said the group was able to bypass security systems by obtaining electronic filing PINs linked to taxpayers. These PINs allowed them to access tax records and submit fraudulent claims without detection.
Investigators also found that Kazeem played a central role in organising the scheme. He reportedly trained and directed other members of the group, including his younger brother, Michael Oluwasegun Kazeem.
Together, they acquired more than 19,500 electronic filing PINs, which were used to process fraudulent tax returns. The refunds were then paid into prepaid debit cards controlled by the group.
Authorities said this method allowed the fraudsters to withdraw money quickly and avoid detection for a period of time.
The Department of Justice said Kazeem was linked to over 10,000 fraudulent tax returns that attempted to claim more than $91 million. Out of this amount, about $11.6 million was successfully obtained.
Part of the money was transferred out of the United States. Investigators found that at least 2,000 wire transfers, totalling over $2.1 million, were sent to Nigeria. More than 700 of these transfers, worth about $690,000, were directly linked to Kazeem.
The funds were also used for personal expenses and investments. Authorities said Kazeem used the money to make a down payment of nearly $200,000 on a house and also purchased a townhouse worth $175,000 in Maryland.
In addition, he reportedly made large credit card payments, averaging over $8,300 per month during the period of the fraud.
The statement also revealed that he attempted to invest part of the money in a proposed $6 million hotel project in Lagos.
Shortly before his arrest in 2015, Kazeem allegedly tried to move some of his assets out of reach of authorities. He transferred ownership of a townhouse to his sister in Nigeria for just $10.
He also added her name to the deed of another property in Maryland for the same amount. Investigators believe these actions were aimed at avoiding seizure of the assets.
In 2018, Kazeem was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $12 million in restitution. However, his sentence was later reduced, and he was released from prison by former US President, Joe Biden.
Despite his release, legal issues surrounding his case have continued.
The latest lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice seeks to strip Kazeem of his US citizenship. According to the department, his actions before and after becoming a citizen make him ineligible to retain that status.
Officials allege that he did not meet the requirements for lawful naturalisation and that he concealed his criminal activities during the process.
The lawsuit also claims that Kazeem entered into a fake marriage to obtain permanent residency in the United States. It further alleges that he later married another woman, raising additional questions about the legitimacy of his immigration status.
The move comes at a time when the United States is tightening its immigration policies. Under the administration of Donald Trump, there has been renewed focus on identifying and removing individuals involved in criminal activities.
Authorities have said that immigrants who commit serious crimes risk losing their legal status, including citizenship obtained through naturalization.
The case also highlights the risks and consequences of fraud, especially large-scale schemes that involve identity theft and financial crimes.
For Nigeria, the case adds to ongoing concerns about the involvement of some citizens in international fraud networks. Authorities have continued to call for stronger measures to address cybercrime and protect the country’s image abroad.