A student from London has become first person to be convicted of encouraging others to defraud HMRC on social media
Habeeb Ajaga, 21, from Plumstead, London, used two Instagram accounts to encourage criminal attacks on VAT systems.
Ajaga posted images on Instagram promoting fraud against HMRC and sought personal data from members of the public to be used to perpetrate fraud. On the posts he encouraged Instagram users to provide tax identifiers or other personally identifiable information. This was accompanied by screenshots from financial institutions claiming to show large tax rebates from HMRC.
Cybercrime investigators at HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service worked with the social media company to shut down one of his accounts in 2022, but he opened a second account the following year. But HMRC traced the second account to Ajaga and this was also closed down.
Ajaga was interviewed under caution in September 2024.
The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging fraud in August 2025.
He has been sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, during a hearing at Southwark Crown Court last week. If he commits any offence during the two-year suspended sentence he will have to serve the time.
Simon Grunwell, head of cybercrime investigations at HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said: ‘This landmark conviction, and the consequences for Ajaga, should serve as a warning to others that we can and do take action against anyone involved in encouraging others to commit tax fraud.
‘We are on the side of the law-abiding majority and have the powers and resources to tackle those who attempt to undermine the tax system.’
‘Anyone with information about any type of tax fraud can contact HMRC on gov.uk.’
This is the first conviction of a so-called finfluencer misusing social media to promote criminal activity. A number of finfluencers face charges of misuse of social media to promote investment schemes, with court dates set for Southwark Crown Court in 2027 for four trials.
Robert Nogacki, managing partner at law firm Skarbiec, in a post on LinkedIn, said: ‘This case signals shifting enforcement priorities. Tax authorities globally are pouring resources into monitoring digital spaces where fraud gets promoted or normalised.
‘Financial influencers should pay particular attention. Thousands of Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts dispense tax advice, business strategies, and wealth-building tips.
‘Most operate legitimately, but the boundary between aggressive tax optimisation and fraud promotion can blur dangerously. An influencer suggesting “creative” methods that slide into illegality - even when framed as purely educational - could face prosecution.’