Trump Moves to Strip U.S. Citizenship from Nigerian Fraudster Over $12M Scam

The "Sham Marriage" and $91M Plot

The administration of President Donald Trump has launched formal denaturalization proceedings against Oluwatosin Kazeem, a Nigerian-born naturalized citizen accused of orchestrating one of the most sophisticated tax fraud schemes in recent history. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the complaint on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, asserting that Kazeem obtained his citizenship through "fraud and deceit."

Beyond the financial crimes, the DOJ revealed that Kazeem’s residency was built on a lie: a "sham marriage" to two different U.S. citizens solely to secure his Green Card—a move that officials say is sufficient grounds alone to revoke his "privileged" status.

From Maryland to a $6M Lagos Hotel

Kazeem’s criminal enterprise was massive in scale. Working with a Vietnamese hacker to buy over 90,000 stolen identities, Kazeem attempted to defraud the IRS of a staggering $91 million.

The Fruits of the Fraud:

  • $12 Million Stolen: Successfully pocketed millions in fraudulent tax refunds between 2012 and 2015.

  • Lagos Luxury: Channeled over $6 million of the stolen funds into developing a four-star luxury hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.

  • U.S. Real Estate: Purchased multiple properties in Maryland and attempted to hide assets by transferring deeds to his sister in Nigeria just 24 hours before his arrest.

A Political Tug-of-War: Biden vs. Trump

Kazeem was originally sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2018. However, in a controversial move in December 2024, then-President Joe Biden commuted his sentence to just six years.

The Trump administration has now reversed that leniency, moving to strip his citizenship and pave the way for his potential deportation. "The Trump Administration will not permit wrongdoers to retain the U.S. citizenship that they were never entitled to in the first place," stated Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate.

Analysis: The New Era of Denaturalization

This case signals a major shift in how the U.S. handles white-collar crime committed by naturalized citizens. Under the current administration, denaturalization is no longer reserved for war criminals or terrorists; it is being aggressively used against "high-value" fraudsters. For Kazeem, the loss of citizenship means that even with a commuted sentence, he faces the reality of being deported to Nigeria to face further scrutiny over his "ill-gotten" assets in Lagos. This serves as a stern warning to the diaspora community: the "shield" of a U.S. passport is not permanent if the foundation of that citizenship was built on fraudulent activity.

"U.S. Citizenship is a privilege, and we will continue to ask courts to revoke a status that was obtained through fraud and deceit." — Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate