ID Theft Ring Nets Millions: Dorvil, Gustave, Johnson Plead Guilty

MIAMI, FL – A sophisticated scheme to steal identities and file fraudulent tax returns, raking in millions from the IRS, has begun to unravel with three more guilty pleas. Henry Dorvil, aka “D,” 35, of Hollywood, Brandon Johnson, 29, of Miami Gardens, and Ronald Gustave, 36, of Miami, all admitted today to their roles in the elaborate operation, adding to a growing list of convictions in the case.

According to federal prosecutors, the trio conspired to illegally enrich themselves by recruiting both willing participants and unwitting victims. They allegedly used stolen personal information – including data from deceased individuals – to create and file false income tax returns. The resulting refunds, in the form of U.S. Treasury and Refund Anticipation Loan checks, were diverted to addresses and bank accounts controlled by the conspirators. They then cashed the checks through a network of businesses, attempting to avoid detection by law enforcement.

The scope of the fraud is staggering. Documents filed with the court reveal that Dorvil and his associates filed 1,747 false returns using deceased individuals’ identities, fraudulently claiming approximately $7 million in refunds. Gustave’s EFIN (Electronic Filing Identification Number) alone was used to process $544,054 in fraudulent returns in 2012. Johnson, operating at Imperial Tax, used an EFIN to file approximately eight fraudulent 2010 returns, claiming $44,608 in refunds using the identities of the deceased.

This isn’t the first wave of convictions in this case. Co-defendants Dukens Eleazard, aka “DK,” 33, of Pembroke Pines, Luckner St Fleur, aka “Nene,” 32, of Miami, Marie Eleazard, aka “Fanfan,” 32, of Miami, and Jesse Lamar Harrell, 26, of Miramar, have already pleaded guilty to the same charges. Eleazard is scheduled for sentencing on February 26, 2014; Harrell and St Fleur on February 27, 2014; and Marie Eleazard on March 5, 2014. Marc Leroy Saint Juste, 26, of Tamarac, previously received a two-month prison sentence and one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy.

Each of the defendants now faces serious consequences. They each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the government, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1). Sentencing for Dorvil is scheduled for April 14, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. Gustave and Johnson are scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2014, also at 8:30 a.m. They each face a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, plus a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.

The investigation, a joint effort by the IRS-CI, FBI, and USSS Miami Field Offices, is far from over. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for Ruth Cartwright, aka “Princess,” 30, formerly of Plantation, on February 3, 2014. A trial is set for February 24, 2014, for Herve Wilmore Jr., 29, of Aventura, Miguel Patterson, 35, of Miami, John Similien, 24, of Plantation, Corey Williams, 30, of Miami Gardens, and Delvin Jean Baptiste, aka “Doo Doo,” 29 of Miramar. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops.

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