West Palm Beach Woman Admits to Massive Identity Theft

WEST PALM BEACH, FL – Kawana Brown, 36, of West Palm Beach, has confessed to her central role in a brazen identity theft operation that ripped off vulnerable patients and defrauded the federal government. Brown pled guilty today to multiple federal charges, admitting she exploited stolen personal information for financial gain. The scheme, according to federal prosecutors, was wide-ranging and meticulously planned.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, led by Wifredo A. Ferrer, announced the guilty plea alongside Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric L. Bradshaw. Brown admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count 1), three counts of wire fraud, violating 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Counts 2, 8, and 13), and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A (Counts 25 and 38). The charges stem from a systematic effort to steal identities from patients at a medical facility in central Florida.

The stolen identities weren’t just filed away; they were actively used to file fraudulent federal income tax returns, illegally claiming refunds that rightfully belonged to the victims. But the fraud didn’t stop there. Brown and her co-conspirators also opened fraudulent credit cards in the names of the identity theft victims, racking up purchases and leaving the victims to deal with the financial fallout. The operation was a calculated assault on the financial well-being of unsuspecting individuals.

At sentencing, scheduled for May 30, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra, Brown faces a potentially lengthy prison term. She could receive up to twenty years behind bars for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Adding to that, the aggravated identity theft charges carry a mandatory two-year sentence that will run consecutively with any other sentence imposed, meaning she could be locked up for a very long time.

“This case demonstrates the devastating impact of identity theft and the lengths criminals will go to exploit personal information,” stated a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Mr. Ferrer specifically commended the tireless investigative work of the agents with IRS-CI and the detectives with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, who pieced together the complex scheme. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Carlton is prosecuting the case.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it moves towards sentencing. For those seeking additional information, a press release is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Court documents can be found at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or via http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov. This isn’t just a crime; it’s a warning: your personal information is a target, and the consequences for exploiting it are severe.