A Nigerian couple, Luciana Akanbi and Femi Akanbi, have been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison each in the United Kingdom for orchestrating a large-scale tax fraud scheme using stolen personal data of Transport for London (TfL) staff.
The couple’s actions were described by the court as the “worst ever” data breach in the history of Transport for London.
Proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court revealed that Luciana Akanbi, 38, who worked in the human resources department at TfL, unlawfully accessed the personal information of her colleagues, including passport numbers, National Insurance details, and bank records.
Prosecutors said she collaborated with her husband, 51-year-old Femi Akanbi, to submit 139 fraudulent tax rebate claims to HM Revenue and Customs using the stolen identities of 40 employees.
The fraud, carried out between September 2021 and January 2022, resulted in a loss of more than £433,000 from public funds, while the total value of the false claims approached £650,000.
Delivering judgment on April 15, 2026, Judge David Miller said the breach forced TfL to overhaul its internal systems and negatively affected staff morale and performance.
He noted that although data belonging to 107 employees was accessed, details of 40 staff were directly used to file fraudulent claims. The operation involved the use of 38 different devices and multiple self-assessment accounts to process the claims.
“The money was almost instantly dissipated through a complex money laundering scheme,” the judge said, adding that both defendants played central roles in executing the fraud.
Prosecutor Andrew Evans described the scheme as highly sophisticated, involving significant planning and a large number of victims. He further revealed that Luciana initially attempted to deflect blame by suggesting a relative working in IT may have been responsible for the data breach.
The court also heard that Femi Akanbi acted as a key link in facilitating the fraudulent claims and had been struggling with a gambling addiction, which contributed to the couple’s financial difficulties following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his remarks, Judge Miller said Luciana abused the trust placed in her as a TfL employee, while holding both defendants equally responsible for the financial losses and the impact on victims, including damage to their credit profiles and emotional distress.
The court heard that £66,000 was traced to Femi Akanbi’s account and £16,000 to Luciana’s, although the judge stated that their total gains were likely higher. However, no compensation order was made, as the court was informed the funds had been exhausted.
The judge also noted that the couple may face deportation after serving their sentences.
Reacting to the judgment, TfL’s Head of Counter-Fraud and Corruption, Richard Mullings, welcomed the sentencing, stating that the crime deprived the public of funds that could have been reinvested into services. He added that new safeguards have since been implemented to prevent future breaches.
A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs also warned that authorities would continue to pursue and prosecute individuals involved in tax fraud, urging the public to report suspicious activities.