Hacker extradited to US for stealing $3.3 million from taxpayers
What’s new: Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, a Nigerian national, has been extradited from France to the U.S. to face charges related to hacking, fraud, and identity theft. He is accused of conducting spearphishing attacks targeting U.S. tax preparation businesses, resulting in over $3.3 million in fraudulent claims, including $2.5 million from tax refunds and $819,000 from SBA loans. Amachukwu also operated a fake investment scheme. He faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud.
Who’s affected
U.S. tax preparation businesses and thousands of U.S. citizens whose personal information was compromised during the attacks.
What to do
- Review and enhance phishing detection measures within your organization.
- Educate employees about the risks of spearphishing and how to identify suspicious emails.
- Implement strong access controls and monitoring for sensitive data.
- Consider regular audits of your cybersecurity posture to identify vulnerabilities.
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