Kenyan Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud in the US

A Kansas federal court has sentenced Kenyan national Hophine Bwosinde to three years in prison after he admitted to defrauding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of nearly USD 1.5 million (Sh200 million) through fraudulent tax returns.

Bwosinde, who operated a tax preparation business named Amboseli, pleaded guilty to aiding in the submission of false tax filings between 2018 and 2022. He manipulated clients' returns by inflating expenses, fabricating losses, and falsifying income, allowing them to claim undeserved refunds or reduce their tax liabilities.

At one point a respected member of the Kenyan diaspora community in Kansas City, Bwosinde had positioned himself as a mentor to immigrants, urging them to respect American laws. His fall from grace, however, has shaken the trust of many in the local community.

The investigation was led by the IRS Criminal Investigation division (IRS-CI), which specialises in financial crimes. Prosecutors argued that Bwosinde’s actions were deliberate and part of a sustained effort to conceal the true financial details of his clients. 

"Bwosinde helped his clients either reduce the taxes they owed or obtain refunds for which they were not entitled," the prosecution said.

Bwosinde’s conviction adds to a broader pattern of financial crime involving Kenyan nationals in the region. In 2006, several individuals from the diaspora were convicted of various financial offences, including identity theft and fraud.