A Nigerian man, Onomen Uduebor, was on Monday sentenced to three years and four months in a United States federal prison for his involvement in a $140,000 tax refund fraud. Uduebor claimed his actions were driven by desperation to achieve success in his music career.
According to information obtained by PUNCH Metro from the U.S. Department of Justice’s website on Tuesday, Uduebor was extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges related to the scheme.
The 39-year-old, along with other co-conspirators, was found to have carried out the fraud between 2016 and 2017. During that time, the group used fake email addresses to impersonate Human Resources departments of different U.S. companies, tricking them into handing over employee information.
Once they obtained the W-2 data, the statement revealed that “the conspirators then used the information from the W-2s to file more than 300 bogus tax returns claiming more than $1 million in tax refunds. The conspirators targeted companies across the U.S. in this scheme.”
Uduebor acknowledged his role in the operation, stating that “Uduebor admits that he filed 150 of the false tax returns and tracked the refunds and payments to bank accounts that the schemers set up in the names of the victims.”
The statement added, “While the IRS paid out about $140,000 to the fraudsters, Uduebor says he received only $10,000 from the scheme. The IRS was able to seize some of the money back from the conspirators, so the total restitution owed to the U.S. Treasury was $122,720.”
Uduebor pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge James Robart sentenced him to 40 months in prison.
In his remarks during sentencing, Judge Robart stated, “He freely participated in the fraud and had a substantial role in the scheme. Thirty years old is not a young man, and he ought to have known better.
“This defendant participated in a conspiracy that involved tricking companies around the United States, including a Tukwila-based company, into providing W-2 information on their employees.”
Responding to statements from victims, Uduebor 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.”
The Department of Justice further noted that Uduebor was initially arrested in the UK in September 2023 and extradited to the U.S. in March 2025. He entered a guilty plea in April 2025.
The report also suggested, “Uduebor will likely be deported to Nigeria following his prison term.”
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