GRAND PRAIRIE, TX – Emmanuel Akoto, also known as “Kofi,” is headed to federal prison for 70 months after a jury found him guilty of a sprawling tax fraud and identity theft scheme. The 2019 conviction, finally resulting in a sentence handed down this week, reveals a calculated operation that spanned years and reached across state lines and even overseas to Ghana.
From 2011 through 2014, Akoto systematically purchased over 560 stolen identities from shadowy third parties. These weren’t just names and dates of birth; they were lives exploited to generate fraudulent tax refunds. Akoto and his co-conspirators filed false returns with the IRS, fabricating income and withholdings to trigger payouts that were then loaded onto prepaid debit cards – a classic sign of a professional fraud operation.
The scheme wasn’t limited to Texas. Investigators uncovered connections in California, Georgia, and Ghana, painting a picture of a complex network designed to maximize illicit profits. The brazenness of Akoto’s operation reached a new level when he attempted to purchase even more stolen identities directly from an undercover U.S. Secret Service agent via email. That failed attempt ultimately became key evidence in securing his conviction.
Akoto wasn’t acting alone. Co-defendant Jeffrey Quaye received a 24-month prison sentence in March after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Quaye’s involvement underscores the collaborative nature of this criminal enterprise. Both men have been ordered to pay significant restitution to the victims of their fraud: Akoto $551,601 and Quaye $99,796. Both will also serve two years of supervised release after completing their prison terms.
“This case demonstrates the Secret Service’s commitment to investigating and disrupting financial crimes that impact the American public,” said a source familiar with the investigation, speaking on background. “Identity theft is a devastating crime, and we will continue to work with our partners at the IRS and the Department of Justice to bring perpetrators like Akoto and Quaye to justice.”
The investigation was a joint effort between IRS–Criminal Investigations and the Secret Service. The prosecution was handled by Trial Attorney Sean Green of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, AUSA John Kennedy, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold Huftalen of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. The announcement of Akoto’s sentencing was made by Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire John J. Farley.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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