ST. LOUIS, MO – A Nigerian citizen, Olusola Luke, 38, has been slapped with charges for conspiracy and theft of government funds in a massive Stolen Identity Refund Fraud scheme that spanned from 2013 to 2015.
Luke, a resident of Guatemala, was arrested at Dulles International Airport on April 6, 2017, and faces allegations of misusing the identifiers of dozens of individuals to obtain over $734,000 in fraudulent refunds. The indictment details how Luke and his co-conspirators exploited these identities to file false tax returns.
Karl Stiften, Special Agent in Charge at IRS Criminal Investigation, emphasized the severity of the crime: “Stealing identities and filing false tax returns is a serious offense that victimizes innocent taxpayers.” The arrest should serve as a stark warning to those contemplating similar criminal activities.
The investigation was part of the IRS’s Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Initiative, which targets the multi-billion-dollar industry of identity theft used for government fraud. Charges in an indictment are merely accusations and do not prove guilt; Luke is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
Luke waived his right to a detention hearing in Virginia and agreed to be transferred to St. Louis for further proceedings. This case underscores the IRS’s commitment to combating refund fraud and protecting American taxpayers from financial exploitation.
Related Federal Cases
- North Carolina Check Fraud Kingpin Sentenced to 85 Months · Pennsylvania
- Jeffrey K. Wilson Indicted in $13.8M Rent-A-Vet Fraud · Kansas
- KC Tax Preparer Hayes Indicted in $1.2M Refund Scam · Kansas
- Con Man Donald Hicklin Hits 98-Month Sentence in VA Bank Fraud Plot · Pennsylvania
- Sandra Mae Evans Admits to $82K Mail Fraud · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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