By Rachel Akper

The United States government has initiated legal proceedings to strip a Nigerian-born man, Emmanuel Oluwatosin Kazeem, of his citizenship following his conviction in a $91 million tax fraud scheme.

The suit, filed by the United States Department of Justice at a federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, alleges that Kazeem obtained his American citizenship through fraudulent means and by concealing his criminal activities during the naturalisation process.

Kazeem was convicted in 2017 on multiple counts, including mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but served about six years before his sentence was commuted in 2024.

According to prosecutors, Kazeem orchestrated a large-scale identity theft and tax fraud operation that affected more than 259,000 victims. The scheme reportedly involved filing over 10,000 fraudulent tax returns in an attempt to claim more than $91 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service, with at least $11.6 million successfully obtained.

Investigators said he acquired tens of thousands of stolen identities from a foreign hacker and distributed them to collaborators, who used the information to access taxpayers’ financial data and bypass IRS security systems.

Authorities further alleged that proceeds from the fraud were laundered through thousands of wire transfers, including transactions routed to Nigeria, while some of the funds were used to acquire properties and finance luxury spending in the United States.

The complaint also accused Kazeem of entering into a sham marriage to secure permanent residency, an act that violates U.S. immigration laws and undermines the legitimacy of his naturalisation.

Officials say the case underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for immigration fraud. If the court rules in favour of the government, Kazeem could lose his citizenship and face possible deportation after serving any remaining legal obligations.