Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, has been arraigned in the United States over an alleged $100 million stolen-identity tax fraud scheme. Raheem was arraigned Monday, October 26, in Atlanta on federal fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft charges, the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia said. He was extradited from the Benin Republic last week. Prosecutors allege Raheem and co-conspirators obtained hundreds of stolen identities, filed more than 300 false tax returns seeking over $100 million in refunds from the IRS, and then moved the proceeds through prepaid debit cards and purchases of used cars shipped to Nigeria and other locations. Between 2018 and 2023, prosecutors say they created online accounts with the IRS to obtain sensitive identifying information for tax professionals and taxpayers, including names, addresses and Social Security numbers. They allegedly directed the IRS to split refunds among prepaid debit cards shipped to addresses controlled by co-conspirators, then laundered funds by buying money orders in amounts designed to avoid reporting thresholds. Investigators say the money orders were used to purchase used cars from auction sites, which were shipped to Nigeria, along with designer clothing. Raheem allegedly fled after federal agents tried to arrest him in April 2026 at his Atlanta residence. He told agents via a video doorbell he was not home, then booked a flight from Mexico City to Benin. On April 15, 2026, he was arrested in Benin under an INTERPOL Red Notice. A federal grand jury indicted Raheem on February 24, 2026, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, 14 counts of access device fraud and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. He faces up to 20 years for conspiracy, 20 years for money laundering, 10 years for access device fraud, and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft. His co-conspirator, Abayomi Quadri Eletu, a resident of the United Kingdom and Nigeria, was indicted on February 17, 2026, in the Western District of Texas and arrested in the United Kingdom, where extradition proceedings are pending. The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).