Tax Cheat Maurival Faces 24 Years in $2.5M Scheme

FORT PIERCE, FL – Rony Maurival, 39, of Fort Pierce, is staring down the barrel of a 24-year prison sentence after admitting to a brazen scheme to defraud the U.S. government through false tax returns and outright identity theft. The owner of “RJ’s Tax & Services” pled guilty to multiple federal charges this week, bringing an end – but not necessarily justice – to a years-long investigation.

According to court documents and Maurival’s own admission, the scheme ran from July 2008 to March 2012. Maurival systematically inflated client incomes on their tax returns, specifically targeting the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a program designed to help low and moderate-income families. The resulting tax loss to the IRS? A staggering $1 million to $2.5 million. This wasn’t just sloppy accounting; it was calculated theft from American taxpayers.

But Maurival’s greed didn’t stop at victimizing his clients and the government. He also failed to report over $250,000 in tax preparation fees earned through his business in 2009 and 2010, effectively cheating on his own taxes. As if that weren’t enough, Maurival went a step further, stealing identities and filing fraudulent returns, diverting the ill-gotten refunds into bank accounts under his control. This is a classic case of a predator preying on the system and those who rely on it.

The charges against Maurival are significant: four counts of filing false income tax returns (26 U.S.C. § 7206), one count of theft of government funds (18 U.S.C. § 641), and one count of aggravated identity theft (18 U.S.C. § 1028A). The combined maximum sentence for these crimes is 24 years behind bars and a hefty $1.5 million fine. While a sentencing date of January 27, 2015, has been set, the damage is already done.

“This case demonstrates the IRS’s commitment to investigating and prosecuting those who attempt to defraud the government and steal taxpayer money,” stated Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The investigation was a joint effort between the IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, led by United States Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Larry J. Wszalek. Assistant United States Attorney Russell Killinger and Tax Division Trial Attorney Charles M. Edgar, Jr. are prosecuting the case.

Maurival is currently detained pending sentencing. While the wheels of justice grind slowly, this plea is a small victory in the ongoing battle against white-collar crime. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the final sentencing. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Justice website at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls or the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov.