Amachukwu Sentenced to Eight Years in U.S. Fraud Case

Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu was sentenced to eight years in U.S. prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud, in a case involving attacks on tax-preparation businesses and other fraud schemes. A federal judge also ordered him to pay $3,647,629.39 in restitution and forfeit $10,846,634.39, according to court-related reporting. Prosecutors said Amachukwu and co-conspirators began hacking U.S. tax-preparation businesses in or around 2019. They used spearphishing emails to gain access to company systems and stole tax and personal information belonging to about 800 business customers, according to prosecutors and court records. The group used stolen identities to file fraudulent federal and state tax returns. Prosecutors said the conspirators sought about $8.4 million in refunds and obtained at least $2.5 million. They also obtained at least $819,000 through fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, prosecutors said. In a separate scheme, Amachukwu and his co-conspirators solicited money for purported investments that prosecutors said did not exist. The group collected more than...