SHOCKING & SHAMEFUL:
TWO NIGERIANS Falsely Claiming to be Sudanese Asylum Seekers Dupe U.S. Govt to the tune of $4 million tax refund in Tax Scam…Arrested in Dallas, Texas
*STEALS Medical patient forms, personal documents to file FAKE tax returns for refunds and obtain credit cards
* ’36-year-old Ibrahim Alu and 40-year-old George Ismail were sentenced Friday in Austin for their roles in an identity theft ring’-Investigators
* ‘We are GUILTY, we really commit crimes of Fraud and Identity Theft’-Nigerian suspects
* Alu sentenced to eight years in prison, Ismail received seven years jail term, to repay over $1.3 million
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THEY ARE TWO NIGERIANS THAT HAVE BEEN bringing the integrity of Nigeria into disrepute through their criminal behaviors. 36-year-old IBRAHIM ALU and 40-year-old GEORGE ISMAIL entered United States under a false intention claiming to be pursuing asylum, whereas their sole plan was to steal the identities of unsuspecting medical patients to file FAKE tax returns for refunds and obtain credit cards to the tune of $4 million in total tax refund.
Prosecutors in Austin, Texas confirmed that these two Nigerians who entered the United States by falsely claiming to be asylum seekers from Sudan are going to prison over a nearly $4 million tax refund scam, in which they dupe the American Government.
Investigators reveal that Alu and Ismail were sentenced Friday in Austin for their roles in an identity theft ring. Both were arrested last September in the Dallas area, then in January pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud.
Alu was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Ismail received seven years. They are ordered to repay more than $1.3 million. Prosecutors say Alu and Ismail worked for an Austin-area cleaning business that serviced medical offices.
Reports says patient forms and personal documents were stolen by these two Nigerians which they used to file phony tax returns for refunds and obtain credit cards.
Alu and Ismail plead guilty and agreed they commit these crimes.
#Additional reports by The Associated Press