A Nigerian man named Kingsley Utulu has been sent to prison in the United States for taking part in a large identity theft and hacking scam. He was found guilty of helping to steal over $2.5 million from the U.S. tax authorities and American citizens. His sentence is five years and three months in prison.

The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, a U.S. Attorney in New York, and Christopher Raia, who is in charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office. They shared the news over the weekend.

Kingsley Utulu, who is 38 years old, was charged with serious crimes. These included stealing people’s identities and planning to commit fraud through electronic means like email and online platforms.

According to the authorities, Utulu was part of a group that hacked into tax preparation services in the U.S. They stole personal information and used it to cheat the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other government departments.

Clayton warned that even scammers living outside the U.S. can’t escape justice. He said people like Utulu might think they can trick hardworking Americans and avoid being caught. But the FBI will always work to stop fraud, no matter where the criminals are hiding.

Utulu was first arrested in the United Kingdom. After that, he was sent (extradited) to the United States to face his charges.

In addition to his time in prison, Utulu has been ordered to pay back $3.68 million. He also has to give up $290,250 that he made through illegal activities.

This case is similar to a recent one where two other Nigerians — Abel Daramola and Olutayo Ogunlaja — were found guilty of running a fake romance scam. They tricked people and stole $560,000. These two could now face up to 20 years in a U.S. federal prison.