Nigerian Sentenced in U.S. for $140,000 Tax Refund Fraud, Cites Desperation to Succeed in Music.
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- Nigerian Sentenced in U.S. for $140,000 Tax Refund Fraud, Cites Desperation to Succeed in Music.
Nigerian Sentenced in U.S. for $140,000 Tax Refund Fraud, Cites Desperation to Succeed in Music.
Onomen Uduebor, a Nigerian national, has been sentenced by a U.S. District Court to three years and four months in prison for his involvement in a \$140,000 tax refund fraud. He told the court that he committed the crime out of
desperation to succeed in his music career.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Uduebor was extradited from the United Kingdom after being indicted for his role in a tax fraud scheme that took place between 2016 and 2017.
The statement revealed that Uduebor and his co-conspirators used fake emails to impersonate Human Resources departments of various U.S. companies to obtain employee details. They then used this information to file over 300 fraudulent tax returns, attempting to claim more than \$1 million in refunds. Uduebor personally submitted 150 of these false returns.
Though the IRS paid out about \$140,000 before detecting the fraud, Uduebor reportedly received only \$10,000. Some of the funds were recovered, and the court ordered him to pay \$122,720 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
At sentencing, U.S. District Judge James Robart noted that Uduebor played a major role in the scheme and should have known better. The judge referenced that the fraud impacted companies across the country, including one based in Tukwila, Washington.
When given an opportunity to speak, Uduebor acknowledged the harm caused and said:
“I have read the victim impact statements, and I know an apology is not enough. I was desperate to succeed in my music career. It is not an excuse, but it is the truth.”
Uduebor was arrested in the UK in September 2023, extradited to the U.S. in March 2025, and pleaded guilty in April 2025. He is expected to be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.
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Faith Kegh
Content & Editorial Manager - Leads the creation, review, and publication of high-quality news and media content. She ensures that all editorial work reflects the organization’s standards of accuracy, professionalism, and relevance, while also engaging and informing the audience.
As the key driver of TokinPoint Media LTD's editorial voice, the manager oversees content planning, assigns tasks to writers or editors, enforces deadlines, and ensures consistency across all platforms. She also plays a strategic role in aligning content with audience interests and search engine optimization (SEO) best practices.