LONDON:  A Nigerian couple has been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for a sophisticated £433,000 tax fraud powered by a massive data breach at Transport for London (TfL). Luciana Akanbi, 38, and her husband, Femi Akanbi, were each handed sentences of three years and nine months at Woolwich Crown Court.

The presiding judge, David Miller, characterized the incident as the most severe data breach in the history of the transport agency, noting the profound impact on both the organization’s infrastructure and the morale of its workforce.

Breach of Trust and Professional Betrayal

The court heard that Luciana Akanbi exploited her position within the TfL Human Resources department, where she had been employed since 2017. She used her internal access to harvest the sensitive personal information of 107 colleagues, including:

• Passport details

• National Insurance numbers

• Private bank records

This data was then used to establish fraudulent self-assessment accounts. Between September 2021 and January 2022, the couple utilized 38 different computer devices from their home and other locations to submit 139 fraudulent tax rebate claims to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Financial Impact and Money Laundering

While the total value of the claims submitted neared £650,000, the actual loss to the public purse totaled £433,000. Prosecutors revealed that the stolen funds were "almost instantly dissipated" through a complex money laundering network.

Investigative evidence showed:

• £66,000 traced directly to Femi’s bank accounts.

• £16,000 traced to Luciana’s accounts.

• Over £50,000 funneled into various gambling accounts.

Judge Miller noted that Femi Akanbi’s gambling addiction, which worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, served as a primary driver for the criminal enterprise.

Judicial Ruling and Victim Impact

During the sentencing, Judge Miller emphasized the "immense damage" caused to the innocent employees whose identities were stolen. Victims suffered impacted credit ratings and the significant stress of resolving fraudulent records with HMRC.

"You, Luciana Akanbi, had been colleagues with some of these people who were extremely badly let down," Judge Miller remarked, dismissing Luciana’s initial attempts to blame the breach on a relative in the IT sector.

The court declined to issue a compensation order, noting that the couple currently possesses no recoverable assets. Furthermore, the court indicated that both defendants may face deportation proceedings following the completion of their custodial sentences.

Institutional Response

In the wake of the conviction, a spokesperson for Transport for London confirmed that the organization has since overhauled and strengthened its internal data protection protocols to prevent future breaches.

HM Revenue and Customs also issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to pursuing those who attempt to exploit the tax system, highlighting that such crimes divert hundreds of thousands of pounds away from essential public services.