Nigerian Man Extradited from France to the U.S. Over Hacking, Identity Theft, and Fraud Allegations

A 39-year-old Nigerian man, Chukwuemeka Victor Amarachukwu, has been extradited from France to the United States to face serious charges involving cybercrime, identity theft, and financial fraud totaling millions of dollars.

Amarachukwu, also known by several aliases including Chukwuemeka Victor Eletuo and So Kwan Leung, arrived in the U.S. on Monday, August 4, 2025, following a request by U.S. authorities. He appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in New York the next day, where he was formally charged.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Amarachukwu and his co-conspirators were part of a scheme that began around 2019. They allegedly hacked into U.S. tax preparation companies by sending targeted phishing emails, gaining access to sensitive client information such as tax records and personal IDs. The stolen data was then used to file fake tax returns and claim refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other agencies.

Authorities estimate that the group tried to steal over $8.4 million, successfully collecting around $2.5 million in fraudulent tax refunds. They also used stolen identities to fraudulently obtain over $800,000 in COVID-19 relief loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

But that’s not all.

Amarachukwu is also accused of running a separate scam where he tricked victims into investing in fake financial instruments known as "standby letters of credit." These investments didn’t exist, but he allegedly walked away with millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims.

Now facing trial in the U.S., Amarachukwu has been charged with:

Conspiracy to commit computer intrusions (up to 5 years in prison)

Two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (up to 20 years each)

Two counts of wire fraud (up to 20 years each)

Aggravated identity theft (mandatory additional 2 years)

Officials from the FBI and U.S. Justice Department thanked the French authorities, U.S. Marshals, and international partners for their help in arresting and extraditing Amarachukwu. The case is being handled by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit in New York.

This case serves as a strong reminder that even cybercriminals operating across borders can be brought to justice. As the FBI put it: “If you're scamming Americans from behind a screen, we will find you—no matter where you are.”

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing case.