SEATTLE, USA — A U.S. District Court in Seattle has sentenced Onomen Uduebor, a 39-year-old Nigerian national, to 40 months in prison for his role in a widespread identity theft and tax fraud scheme that claimed more than $1 million in fraudulent IRS tax refunds.
Uduebor, also known as Onomen Onohi, claimed to be a musician but pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The sentence was delivered by District Judge James L. Robart, who said Uduebor had a “substantial role” in the scheme and “ought to have known better.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller, Uduebor and his co-conspirators created phishing emails between February 2016 and April 2017 that impersonated company executives. These emails were sent to HR departments across the U.S., requesting W-2 tax forms under the pretense of internal communications.
If HR staff hesitated, the scammers would pose as company leadership to pressure them. Once obtained, the W-2 data was used to file more than 300 fake tax returns, seeking over $1 million in refunds.
Uduebor personally submitted 150 of these returns and managed refund payments through accounts opened in victims’ names. While the IRS paid out around $140,000, Uduebor claimed to have received only $10,000 personally. He was ordered to pay $122,720 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury.
Uduebor was extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges in the U.S. During his sentencing, he expressed remorse and blamed his actions on desperation linked to his struggling music career.
Following his prison term, Uduebor is expected to be deported to Nigeria.
