The United States Department of Justice has filed a civil complaint seeking to revoke the citizenship of Nigerian-born Emmanuel Oluwatosin Kazeem over his involvement in a major fraud case.
According to US authorities, Kazeem unlawfully obtained American citizenship while allegedly concealing criminal activities linked to identity theft and tax fraud.
US Revokes Nigerian Citizenship Fraud Case Moves to Court
The US revokes Nigerian citizenship fraud case was filed before a US District Court in Baltimore, Maryland.
Authorities accused Kazeem of securing naturalisation through fraud and false declarations.
The Department of Justice said the case forms part of ongoing efforts to remove citizenship obtained through illegal means.
Kazeem Convicted in Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme
The US revokes Nigerian citizenship fraud case follows Kazeem’s 2017 conviction on multiple fraud-related offences.
Court records showed he was convicted on charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy.
He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment before his sentence was later commuted in 2024 by former US President Joe Biden.
Authorities Detail Fraud Allegations
According to the Department of Justice, the US revokes Nigerian citizenship fraud case involves more than 10,000 fraudulent tax returns.
Investigators alleged that Kazeem and his associates attempted to obtain over $91 million in tax refunds.
Authorities said the scheme successfully secured more than $11.6 million through fraudulent filings.
Thousands of Identities Allegedly Compromised
The US revokes Nigerian citizenship fraud case also revealed that over 259,000 victims were allegedly affected.
Investigators claimed Kazeem purchased more than 91,000 stolen identities from a hacker linked to a data breach involving an Oregon-based company.
The Department of Justice stated that the stolen information was used to bypass Internal Revenue Service security systems.
Properties and Wire Transfers Investigated
Court documents showed that investigators tracked over 2,000 wire transfers allegedly linked to the fraud operation.
According to authorities, some transfers were reportedly sent to Nigeria.
The US revokes Nigerian citizenship fraud case also included allegations that Kazeem used proceeds from the scheme to fund luxury property investments.
Justice Department Speaks on Citizenship Fraud
Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate said the administration would continue targeting people who obtained citizenship illegally.
He stated that American citizenship remains a privilege reserved for individuals who comply with legal requirements.
The Department of Justice added that the case was investigated jointly by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.
