Cobb man convicted of fraud after using $12M to live lavish lifestyle
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
On Friday, a jury convicted Carl Delano Torjagbo, AKA Karl Lucius Delano Torjagbo, 49, of Marietta, of bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
According to court documents, on February 13, 2021, Torjagbo submitted two tax returns to the IRS. Each tax return had a different social security number and date of birth.
The counterfeit tax returns showed that Torjagbo had millions of dollars in losses that offset earnings from his African gold mine business, Kremkov Industries, the Department of Justice said. This resulted in the U.S. Treasury issuing a check for $3,366,240.76 to Torjagbo.
TRENDING STORIES:
Family realizes iPad stolen after Delta flight, finds thief's explicit photos on the iCloud
12 teens found living in church basement; fire marshal says it violated county codes
Take a look at Buford High School's new $62 million football stadium
The DOJ said, days later, Torjagbo signed a Paycheck Protection Program ('PPP') loan requesting $9,554,425 for his company. Court documents revealed that Torjagbo erifited that the company was opened on February 15, 2020.
The 38-year-old said he had 493 employees who reside across the U.S., and had an average monthly payroll of nearly $4 million.
In March 2021, Torjagbo received $9.6 million in a PPP loan. Officials said he used the PPP loan and tax refund to purchase the following:
$1,677,861.01 for his home;
$332,999.80 for a 2014 Lamborghini Aventador;
$120,799.79 for a 2022 BMW M850xi;
$90,520 for a 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Velar;
$51,000 for the down payment on a 72-foot yacht;
Over $1,000,000 for real estate, trucks, and trailers to start a new business;
More than $15,000 for plastic surgery.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter].
He faces a maximum of 170 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Stolen' mini excavator found abandoned
A stolen mini excavator was found abandoned in Mortimer. Officers from Thames Valley Police's (TVP) rural crime taskforce found the machine, after being contacted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. While there, officers discovered another mini excavator which was suspected stolen due to tampered Datatag ID Limited stickers. Hampshire Constabulary is now investigating. A spokesman for the TVP rural crime taskforce said: "The owner of the stolen excavator is pleased to be reunited with his machine."

Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
Nigerian Immigration issues advisory to citizens travelling to the US
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has issued a formal advisory urging citizens to strictly follow the conditions of their U.S. visas, following concerns by the U.S. government over widespread misuse. The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) advised citizens to adhere to U.S. visa conditions to avoid penalties Students studying in the U.S. must maintain full-time academic status to prevent visa cancellation. This advisory aligns Nigeria alongside other African nations in promoting global mobility compliance standards. In a statement, NIS spokesperson ACI Akinlabi said, 'The NIS wishes to inform the general public about the concerns raised by the US government over the misuse of visas by Nigerians.' He warned that violations—such as overstaying or unauthorized activities —could lead to visa revocation, deportation, or permanent travel bans. 'Breach of visa conditions, including overstaying, may attract severe penalties, including removal from the U.S. and permanent ineligibility for future travel,' he said. Akinlabi also advised Nigerian students in the U.S. to maintain full-time academic status: 'Nigerian students in the U.S. must remain in active study. Withdrawal, absenteeism, or change of academic program without notification may lead to visa cancellation and loss of future eligibility.' He further noted that consular officers can deny tourist visas if they suspect the applicant intends to give birth in the U.S.: 'The NIS continues to collaborate with the U.S. Mission in Abuja to ensure Nigeria is not included in any expanded visa restrictions. Compliance with visa regulations is essential to safeguard legitimate travel by Nigerian citizens.' U.S-Nigeria travel advisory As of mid-July 2025, the United States maintains a Level 3 travel advisory for Nigeria, urging citizens to reconsider travel due to persistent threats from crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed gangs, and inadequate healthcare services. In addition to security concerns, the U.S. government has also issued fresh visa-related warnings to Nigerian applicants. On July 8, 2025, the U.S. Department of State revised its visa reciprocity policy, reducing the validity of most non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas for Nigerian citizens to three months, single entry. Previously issued visas remain valid under their original terms. Furthermore, in a July 28, 2025 memo, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria warned that travel primarily for childbirth purposes, commonly referred to as birth tourism, is prohibited. Visa applications suspected of being linked to this practice may be denied, with applicants subject to heightened scrutiny and possible penalties for misrepresentation. Together, these measures reflect a broader tightening of U.S. immigration controls targeting both security and immigration integrity concerns. Nigeria's issuance of this advisory brings it in line with 36 other African countries facing potential travel restrictions. Authorities and U.S. missions in these countries have warned against visa fraud, overstays, and misuse of travel privileges.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Are You Eligible for Trump's Auto Loan Deduction? Here's Who Qualifies
President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' which he signed on July 4, 2025, included some welcomed relief for eligible new car buyers, who are facing high purchase prices and interest rates. From 2025 to 2028, you may qualify to deduct as much as $10,000 annually in car loan interest on your federal tax return. Read Now: Find Out: A recent IRS fact sheet broke down the key vehicle, taxpayer and loan requirements for this new deduction. Whether you recently bought a vehicle or are looking for one, find out how to qualify and how much your potential tax savings could be. Does Your Vehicle Qualify? This deduction applies only if your new (not used) vehicle meets all of these rules: It was assembled at the final stage at a U.S. plant. Its gross weight is below 14,000 pounds. It has two or more wheels and is suitable for driving on public roads. It doesn't have a salvage title. It's an eligible vehicle type, such as a motorcycle, SUV, car, pickup truck or van. Eligible makes and models vary. As of April 2025, CarEdge listed 117 American-made vehicles from makers such as Chevrolet, Tesla, Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Mazda, Jeep, Honda, GMC, Toyota and Volvo. Since the final assembly location is what matters, even international brands can qualify. If you're shopping for a car, you can ask local dealerships, many of which are already advertising the deduction, or you can research U.S.-manufactured options online. The United Auto Workers website also noted that a U.S.-manufactured vehicle will have a vehicle identification number (VIN) that begins with the digit 1, 4 or 5. Discover Next: What Are the Taxpayer Rules? Similar to the student loan interest deduction, the new auto loan interest deduction is available whether you itemize or take the standard deduction, and you can't exceed the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) limit for your filing status. To get the maximum auto loan interest deduction, your MAGI can't be above $200,000 if you're a joint filer or $100,000 if you use another filing status. According to the bill's text, there's still a partial deduction with a MAGI of up to $250,000 for joint filers and $150,000 for other filers; the reduction is $200 per $1,000 of your MAGI exceeding the base threshold. What Are the Financing Rules? Even if you meet the taxpayer and vehicle rules, you'll need to make sure your loan qualifies. Specifically, you must have taken out your loan after December 31, 2024, and it must be a personal vehicle loan where you used the vehicle as collateral. So, if your family gave you a loan to buy an eligible car or you got an unsecured personal loan from the bank, you can't deduct the interest. The same is true if you took out a loan to buy a vehicle for commercial use, leased the car or financed a vehicle you planned to use for parts. If you financed or leased a business vehicle, you might qualify for a different tax break via a business expense deduction. You can get the details in IRS Publication 463. How Big Could Your Deduction Be? If you're eligible for this deduction, your potential tax savings will depend on your tax bracket, the amount of auto loan interest you paid and your MAGI. Keep in mind that the deduction lowers your taxable income and isn't a credit that directly lowers your tax liability. For example, if you pay the maximum $10,000 in annual auto loan interest, have a MAGI low enough for the full deduction and fall in the 22% tax bracket, you could save $2,200 that year. But the most someone in the 10% tax bracket could save is $1,000. CBS News noted that you'll likely see smaller deductions after the first year due to how banks frontload interest. You may also qualify for extra savings of up to $7,500 if your new vehicle is eligible for the federal EV credit. While the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' cut this tax perk, it remains available for eligible vehicles bought through September 2025. How To Claim the Deduction The IRS has provided few details so far on reporting auto loan interest on your next tax return, but it noted that you will have to provide your vehicle's VIN. You can also expect your auto lender to send a tax document showing the interest paid. The IRS should provide more details closer to tax season. More From GOBankingRates 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years This article originally appeared on Are You Eligible for Trump's Auto Loan Deduction? Here's Who Qualifies