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London Student Handed Suspended 16-Month Term in First Case Over Urging HMRC Fraud Online

HMRC says the conviction signals it will pursue people who promote tax crime on social platforms.

Overview

  • Habeeb Ajaga, 21, admitted two counts of encouraging or assisting indictable offences under Section 46.
  • Southwark Crown Court on 16 October 2025 imposed a 16-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
  • HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service began investigating Instagram posts in 2022 and worked with the platform to remove an account before identifying a second account.
  • Investigators traced both accounts to Ajaga and interviewed him under caution in September 2024 before his guilty pleas in August 2025.
  • HMRC described the outcome as a landmark case and urged reports via GOV.UK or the 0800 788 887 hotline, citing ongoing investment in IT security.