Latest news with #Akande
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Recruiting Rumor Mill: First big visit weekend is just days away
Nick Lucero/ The first big visit weekend of late May and early June is only days away but there is still a ton going on across the country. Here's the latest from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney in this Recruiting Rumor Mill. Advertisement MORE: Ohio State QB commit Brady Edmunds has some big targets CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info The high three-star defensive back from Pembroke Pines (Fla.) West Broward committed to Toledo last June but now Akande has a full visit schedule this month and there's a big threat that he could flip. Akande is at UCF this weekend and that will definitely be one to watch before he sees South Florida, Toledo and FIU to close out the month. Minnesota, Kentucky and NC State are also big threats to flip him. Tennessee remains at the top of the list for Anderson and with a limited amount of other Power Four offers it would be very surprising if he didn't end up with the Volunteers if they have room in this recruiting class. Advertisement Cincinnati, Memphis and others are involved but after a recent return trip to Knoxville where he got to know the staff even better, Tennessee is the front-runner. There is a strong feeling that Miami is the front-runner for the four-star edge rusher from Venice, Fla., and it could help the Hurricanes even more since he's taking his final official visit there at the end of the month. But others are going to throw their hat in the ring as Florida gets its shot this weekend. He'll also see Louisville, Kentucky and Missouri before wrapping up the month in Coral Gables. Texas is in very good shape with the 2027 four-star defensive back from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco. Advertisement Texas A&M, Colorado, Cal and BYU round out his top five, as Davis looks to a busy round of visits. He's expected to visit the Longhorns this weekend, then head to Boston College, Arizona State and Sacramento State by the end of the month. Georgia has emerged as the front-runner for the five-star safety but Alabama is right there in his recruitment with Oregon rounding out his favorites. Texas A&M had been at the top but seems to be sliding for the Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances standout. A new visit to Florida on June 3 will be one to watch as there is a significant SEC feel now to his recruitment. Michigan is trying to make a serious run at the five-star LSU cornerback commit and while the family is listening, his commitment to the Tigers has not swayed. The Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon standout has only been committed for weeks and he was already back in Baton Rouge in recent days to firm things up even more. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LSU FANS AT The four-star defensive tackle from Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill is kicking off his official visit schedule this weekend at LSU as the Tigers remain one of four front-runners in his recruitment. It was thought that Oklahoma might have had an edge but the Sooners have fallen off a little. LSU, Ole Miss (where he's a legacy), Oregon and Ohio State have emerged as the four to watch. The 2027 three-star running back from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman is now up to 20 offers with more very possibly on the way but so far Arizona, Notre Dame, BYU, Cal, Washington, UNLV and Arizona State have been in touch the most. Advertisement Grant is still in the early stages and doesn't want to name leaders yet, especially with Oklahoma, Oregon, USC and UCLA asking about him. Matthews has a list of favorites but this could be boiling down to a two-team race with South Carolina in the lead but Texas is making a major play for the four-star cornerback from Cornelius (N.C.) Hough. Matthews will be in Miami this weekend and that could get interesting. Some believe the Longhorns have the momentum, but South Carolina remains very appealing. Alabama, Michigan and Texas will host the four-star linebacker from Marietta (Ga.) Kell in the coming weeks before Rouse heads back to Tennessee and the Vols could be really tough to beat. Advertisement Rouse had a trip 'different from any other visit' last weekend in Knoxville that only strengthened his relationship with the coaching staff and pushed the Vols even higher among his favorites. After official visits to Washington, Stanford and UCLA, the high three-star defensive end from Seattle (Wash.) O'Dea will return home and work through a decision with his family. Washington is 'home' and that could be playing a big role in his thinking but all three schools are basically even heading into visits. The four-star Tennessee tight end commit was back in Knoxville over the weekend and he had a great time as the coaching staff is recruiting him like he hasn't made his pledge yet. Advertisement The Nashville (Tenn.) Donelson Christian Academy standout has dropped his Miami visit and has Florida, Ole Miss and a return trip back to Tennessee on the calendar. If the Vols throw more to their tight ends, then Sneed might be locked in as that has been a concern while looking at other programs. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH TENNESSEE FANS AT Theodore feels like a priority every time he's on Tennessee's campus and the Vols are very high on his list especially after being at their 865 Live event over the weekend. Tennessee looks very strong for the three-star cornerback from Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School with Wisconsin, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Duke and Virginia also there. The four-star offensive tackle from New Albany, Miss., has been committed to Mississippi State since February but Tucker will be at Ole Miss this weekend followed by LSU and then close out the month back in Starkville. Advertisement The word is that LSU is recruiting him the hardest so that trip to Baton Rouge will be one to watch closely and Oxford is less than an hour away. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MISSISSIPPI STATE FANS AT Auburn will host the four-star edge rusher from Wadley, Ala., this weekend and the Tigers are definitely one of the front-runners. Texas A&M could be sneaky here and might have the advantage right now in his recruitment with Miami and the Tigers involved. This trip to The Plains could settle things for Auburn but the Aggies are a major player in his recruitment for sure.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Nigerian man accused of stealing taxpayer data from Mass. firms to file over 1,000 fake tax returns
A Nigerian national living in Mexico has been extradited to the United States for his role in a scheme to break into Massachusetts tax preparation firms' computer networks, steal data, and file more than 1,000 fake tax returns. Matthew A. Akande, 36, who is accused of filing the fraudulent tax returns seeking millions of dollars in tax refunds, was arrested in October at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom at the request of the United States, the U.S. Attorney said. Akande was extradited to the U.S. on Wednesday, the same day he appeared in federal court, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. Foley said Akande and others allegedly filed more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $8.1 million in fraudulent tax refunds over approximately five years. They allegedly successfully obtained over $1.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Akande was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 with one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering; one count of wire fraud; four counts of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud; 13 counts of theft of government money; and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. Another person, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, 33, a Nigerian national living in North Dakota, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering, Foley said. Oyetunji's sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Prosecutors allege that between about June 2016 and June 2021, Akande, Oyetunji and others worked together to steal money from the United States government using taxpayers' personally identifiable information to file fraudulent tax returns in the taxpayers' names. In addition, about February 2020, the scheme involved stealing taxpayers' personal information from Massachusetts tax preparation firms via phishing attacks and computer intrusions, prosecutors said. To carry out the scheme, Akande is accused of sending fraudulent phishing emails to five Massachusetts tax preparation firms. 'The emails purported to be from a prospective client seeking the tax preparation firms' services but in truth were used to trick the firms into downloading remote access trojan malicious software (RAT malware), including malware known as Warzone RAT,' Foley said. Prosecutors allege that Akande used the RAT malware to obtain the personal information, and prior year tax information of the tax preparation firms' clients, and then filed the fraudulent tax returns seeking refunds. The tax returns directed that the fraudulent tax refunds be deposited in bank accounts allegedly opened by Oyetunji and others, prosecutors said. Once the refunds were issued, Oyetunji and others withdrew the stolen money in cash in the United States and then transferred a portion to third parties in Mexico, allegedly at Akande's direction, while keeping a portion for themselves. Federal authorities encourage all businesses that suspect they have been the target and/or victim of a cyberattack to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at Taxpayers and tax preparation firms that suspect they have been the target or the victim of a phishing attack can also forward phishing emails to phishing@ For the charge of conspiracy, Akande faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charge of wire fraud provides, Akande faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charges of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud, Akande faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charges of theft of government money, Akande faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the charges of aggravated identity theft, Akande faces a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Telegraph
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Lawyer who opposed UK's Chagos claim backed for top job by Attorney General
A lawyer who opposed the UK's claim to the Chagos Islands has been backed by the Attorney General to represent Britain as an international judge. Professor Dapo Akande, a legal scholar at the University of Oxford, was proposed by Sir Keir Starmer and Lord Hermer last year to represent Britain at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The nomination came despite his support for Mauritius in a 2019 case on the Chagos Islands, in which the ICJ ruled that the UK give the islands away 'as rapidly as possible'. In that case, Prof Akande spoke out against Britain's ownership of the islands, describing the case as a 'decolonisation' effort and arguing that they should be given away. Representing Zambia, he said the Chagos case was 'about the international law obligations regarding decolonisation ' and that it should not be treated as a 'purely bilateral dispute' between the UK and Mauritius. The case was brought before the ICJ, the principal law court of the United Nations, to settle an ongoing dispute over the islands dating back to the 1960s. Although the Chagos Islands were never formally part of Mauritius, lawyers including Prof Akande claimed that the sovereignty dispute was a matter of decolonisation. The decision has since been used by supporters of a Chagos deal, including Sir Keir and Lord Hermer, to argue that the UK must give away the islands or be in breach of international law. But opponents of the deal, including the Conservatives and some members of Donald Trump's team, argue that giving away the islands will put the base at risk of surveillance by China – one of Mauritius's allies. Shortly after taking office, the Labour government nominated Prof Akande to represent Britain at the court for a nine-year term between 2027 and 2036. Elections are expected to take place next year. At the time, Lord Hermer welcomed the nomination, describing himself as 'delighted' that the lawyer would be Britain's candidate for the court's bench. He released a video with Prof Akande and said the UK 'could not be prouder' than to nominate him for the position. Lord Hermer has come under criticism in recent weeks for his involvement in the Chagos deal, which will involve the UK giving up sovereignty of the islands and leasing back a joint US-UK military base there at a cost of at least £9bn over a century. He reportedly changed the Government's official legal position after Labour won the election to warn that the islands represented a significant legal risk. However, the Labour Government's arguments in favour of the deal have repeatedly been questioned, including by other ministers. A new report by the Policy Exchange think tank has argued that the Government's case for a Chagos deal has 'no basis in reality' and has 'already been publicly contradicted by another Minister'. Tom Tugendhat, the former security minister, said the main threat to British security in the Indian Ocean was 'the Government's distorted interpretation of the UK's legal obligations, and its willingness to surrender meekly to a Mauritian shakedown'. 'Every single defence of the deal put forward by the Government – whether strategic or legal – has proved to be baseless,' he said. 'It is past time for the Government to come to its senses, to remember its duty to defend the UK's vital strategic interests, and to walk away from the deal.' Although he was acting for Zambia during the Chagos case, Prof Akande has also expressed his views about it, arguing in the European Journal of International Law that the dispute over the islands 'relates to decolonisation' and the 'exercise of the principle of self-determination'. He said it may be the case that the ICJ has the power to issue a binding ruling on the UK to give up the islands since as a member of the UN, 'it has also given, in a general way, its consent to exercise of the Court's advisory jurisdiction'. The Telegraph previously revealed that Prof Akande has also acted as a legal adviser to Jeremy Corbyn. In 2018, the former Labour leader sought his opinion on the UK's bombing of Syria. Mr Akande argued that the air strikes did not comply with international law. Announcing Prof Akande's nomination, Sir Keir said he was 'personally committed to strengthening international rule of law and the institutions that support it'. He added: 'Professor Akande is exceptionally well-qualified for this role. I believe he would make a formidable judge on the ICJ.' Members of the Trump administration have publicly criticised the Chagos deal. Jim Risch, the US senator who chairs the Senate foreign affairs committee, said in a speech at Policy Exchange on Monday: 'I'd be remiss if I didn't remind everyone that Diego Garcia serves as an extremely valuable platform for the US to collect intelligence and conduct military operations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. 'Our strategic bombers operate from Diego Garcia, and our nuclear-powered submarines conduct port calls there. Simply put, Diego Garcia plays an indispensable role in helping all of us deter Chinese aggression. 'I'm concerned that the decision to hand over the Chacos islands to Mauritius creates unneeded risk to our military position in the Indian Ocean, and will allow the Chinese to gain greater insight in our activities. 'At Diego Garcia, we understand that the government has put measures in place to limit the Chinese Navy's ability to encroach upon Diego Garcia. But it isn't just about the Chinese navy. We are equally worried about collection activities conducted by China's so-called commercial and oceanographic spy business. 'Ceding ground to China is a dangerous surrender and the US and the UK need to work together to push back on this. While this is ultimately a British decision, retaining sovereign control over the eagle Garcia is imperative for our collective security.'
