A Nigerian couple, Luciana and Femi Akanbi, have been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom after a court found them guilty of orchestrating a large-scale tax fraud scheme using stolen personal data of Transport for London (TfL) employees.
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The conviction followed proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court, where prosecutors detailed how the couple used sensitive information belonging to at least 40 TfL staff to file fraudulent tax rebate claims between September 2021 and January 2022.
Luciana Akanbi, 38, who worked in the human resources department of TfL, had access to the personal records of about 107 employees. The court heard that she exploited this access to obtain confidential data, including passport details, National Insurance numbers, and bank records.
Using the stolen information, the couple created multiple self-assessment accounts and submitted 139 fake tax refund claims to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), operating through at least 38 electronic devices from their home and other locations.
Although the total value of claims submitted approached £650,000, authorities confirmed that the actual financial loss to the UK government exceeded £433,000.
The court was told that proceeds from the fraud were rapidly moved through a complex money laundering network, making recovery difficult.
Investigators traced approximately £66,000 to Femi Akanbi’s bank account and £16,000 to Luciana, though the court held that their overall benefit from the scheme was significantly higher.
It was also revealed that over £50,000 of the stolen funds had been spent on gambling accounts, with Femi reportedly struggling with a gambling addiction following illness during the COVID-19 period.
Delivering judgment, Judge David Miller described the incident as the most serious data breach in the history of Transport for London.
He noted that the fraud was sophisticated, involved extensive planning, and caused significant harm to victims whose personal data was misused.
“You, Luciana Akanbi, had been colleagues with some of these people who were extremely badly let down,” the judge said, adding that the breach had serious consequences for victims, including damage to credit ratings and financial distress.
The court also rejected attempts by Luciana to shift blame to a relative, holding that the fraud was made possible by her position and access within the organisation.
The court declined to issue a compensation order, noting that the couple had no recoverable assets.
In response to the case, Transport for London said it had strengthened its internal data protection systems to prevent future breaches, while HMRC reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting tax fraud offenders.
Authorities also indicated that the couple may face deportation proceedings after serving their sentences.
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