A United Kingdom Court has sentenced a Nigerian couple, Luciana and Femi Akanbi, to prison for a sweeping fraud scheme that exploited the personal data of co-workers, leaving dozens of victims grappling with financial and emotional fallout.
At the centre of the case is Luciana Akanbi, 38, a human resources employee with Transport for London (TfL), who abused her access to confidential staff records to harvest sensitive information, including passport details, bank accounts and National Insurance numbers.
Prosecutors told Woolwich Crown Court that the stolen data was used to file 139 fraudulent tax rebate claims with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), targeting at least 40 employees.
The scheme, which ran between September 2021 and January 2022, drained over £433,000 from public funds.
Her husband, Femi Akanbi, was found to have played a key role in the operation, with part of the illicit proceeds traced to his accounts.
The court heard that a portion of the funds was funneled into gambling platforms, amid claims he developed an addiction following illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his judgment, Judge David Miller described the breach as unprecedented in TfL’s history, stressing the deep institutional and personal damage caused.
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The court heard that beyond financial losses, victims faced disrupted credit ratings and the burden of resolving fraudulent tax claims, while TfL was forced to overhaul its internal systems in response to the breach.
Prosecutors characterised the operation as highly organised, involving multiple devices and a coordinated effort to move funds through a complex laundering network almost immediately after they were obtained.
Although tens of thousands of pounds were directly traced to the couple, the court ruled their overall benefit from the fraud far exceeded those sums.
Luciana, who had worked with TfL since 2017 and is a mother of three, initially attempted to shift responsibility, suggesting a relative in IT may have been involved.
However, the court found both defendants were central actors, noting the scheme hinged on her privileged access as a trusted employee.
Each was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. Authorities indicated they may also face deportation proceedings after serving their terms.
In the aftermath, TfL confirmed it has strengthened its data protection systems, while HMRC warned it would continue to pursue and prosecute those who attempt to exploit the tax system.
