By Dayo Oyewo
A Nigerian couple, Luciana and Femi Akanbi, have been jailed in the United Kingdom after investigators uncovered how stolen personal data of Transport for London employees was allegedly used to execute a tax rebate fraud scheme that cost the public purse more than £433,000.
PUNCH Metro learnt from a report by Kent Live on Thursday that the fraud, which ran between September 2021 and January 2022, was built on sensitive information belonging to at least 40 TfL workers, including passport details, National Insurance numbers and bank records, which were used to file 139 fake tax refund claims.
Court proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court revealed that Luciana Akanbi, 38, who worked in TfL’s human resources department, had access to the personal records of about 107 employees, which were later exploited for the scheme.
Prosecutors said the couple used the stolen details to create multiple self-assessment accounts and submit fraudulent claims to HM Revenue and Customs using at least 38 electronic devices operated from their home and other locations.
Although the total value of claims submitted was put at nearly £650,000, authorities confirmed that the actual loss amounted to more than £433,000.
The court also heard that the proceeds of the fraud were quickly laundered through a complex network, making recovery difficult for investigators.
Delivering judgment, Judge David Miller said the case represented the most severe data breach in the history of the transport authority.
Judge Miller said, ‘TfL suffered their worst ever data breach. It meant they had to change their systems.
“It affected their morale, I am told, and staff performance. You acquired and used the personal details of 40 employees in relation to making the claims for tax rebates but accessed the details of 107 employees.
“There were 139 claims in respect of 40 employees by self-assessment accounts being set up by you and others, using 38 computer devices from your own home and others. The effect was that there were 139 claims for tax rebates totalling just under £649,000.
“The money lost to HMRC amounted to just over £433,000. That money was almost instantly dissipated in a complex money laundering scheme.”
The court heard that Luciana Akanbi, who had been employed by TfL since 2017, used her position to access the personal records of 107 employees, which were subsequently exploited for fraudulent claims.
Prosecutor Andrew Evans described the operation as sophisticated, involving extensive preparation and a large number of victims.
“The fraud was sophisticated in nature, required significant planning and involved a large number of victims,” he said.
He added that the proceeds of the fraud were rapidly moved through a complex money laundering network.
Evidence presented in court showed that about £66,000 was traced to Femi’s bank account, while £16,000 was linked to his wife, although the court held that their total benefit from the scheme exceeded those amounts.
The court further heard that financial pressures contributed to the crime, with Femi reportedly struggling with a gambling addiction following illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Judge Miller said over £50,000 of the stolen funds had been paid into various gambling accounts.
He also noted that Luciana, a mother of three, initially attempted to deflect blame by suggesting that a relative working in the IT sector may have been responsible for the data breach.
The judge, however, ruled that both defendants were central to the scheme, stating that the fraud was only possible because of the access granted to Luciana as a trusted employee.
“You, Luciana Akanbi, had been colleagues with some of these people who were extremely badly let down.
“That is damaging – to have your credit ratings impacted, to deal with HMRC and to have to rearrange your finances. There was immense damage to third parties,” the judge said.
Judge Miller added that no compensation order would be made, stating that the couple had no recoverable assets.
Following the ruling, a representative of Transport for London said the organisation had strengthened its internal data protection systems to prevent a recurrence.
“We take any cases of fraud extremely seriously and welcome the court’s sentencing of these two individuals.
“This crime meant that hundreds of thousands of pounds were unable to be reinvested elsewhere for the wider public benefit and involved working closely with HM Revenue and Customs to secure a successful prosecution,” he said.
A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs warned that the agency would continue to pursue individuals who attempt to exploit the tax system.
The court also indicated that the couple could face deportation proceedings after serving their sentences.
