Robert Evans, Stolen Identity Refund Fraud, NY, 2023

BOSTON – A brazen scheme to cash fraudulent tax refund checks has resulted in prison time and hefty restitution orders for a New York man and his Springfield relative. The pair exploited stolen identities to pilfer funds from the U.S. Treasury, adding to a nationwide epidemic of “Stolen Identity Refund Fraud” (SIRF).

Robert Evans, 54, of Wallkill, NY, received two years of probation, including three months of home confinement, from U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni. He’s been ordered to pay a staggering $517,714 in restitution. Evans pleaded guilty in January 2016 to one count of theft of government money for his role in the operation. His sister-in-law, Evelyn Manzueta, 52, of Springfield, received a harsher sentence: one year in prison, three years of supervised release, and a restitution order totaling $1,377,376. Manzueta pleaded guilty to theft of government property in June 2016.

Between January 2012 and May 2013, Manzueta masterminded the cashing of 236 fraudulent tax refund checks. She personally cashed nearly $500,000 through her own accounts, then recruited friends and family – including Evans – to launder the remaining ill-gotten gains. Evans funneled $517,714 through his accounts, bringing the total fraudulent payout to $1,377,376. The scheme relied on checks issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury based on bogus tax returns.

Investigators revealed the tax returns used the names and Social Security numbers of real people residing in Puerto Rico, but falsely listed Massachusetts and New York addresses. The returns also contained fabricated employment information. Both Evans and Manzueta knowingly cashed the checks, fully aware they were the product of fraud. The pair exploited the speed and automation of the tax system to quickly convert stolen identities into cash.

This case is part of a larger federal crackdown on SIRF schemes, which cost the U.S. government billions annually. According to the IRS, these schemes resulted in a loss of $5.8 billion in 2013 alone. These enterprises involve multiple layers of criminal activity, from stealing personal information to filing false returns and facilitating the collection of fraudulent refunds. The sophistication of these schemes highlights the vulnerability of automated systems to exploitation.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, announced the sentences. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Goodwin of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office successfully prosecuted the case, sending a clear message that those who prey on the U.S. Treasury will face the full weight of the law.

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