Bolarinwa Salau Sentenced

Bolarinwa Salau, 30, of Rockaway Beach, New York, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, often referred to as “SIRF”.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Salau was found with identification documents for other people during a traffic stop of his vehicle by the West Virginia State Police. These documents were being used in connection with the SIRF scheme, which involves the use of stolen personal information, including social security numbers, to file tax returns for purposes of obtaining fraudulent refunds.

The investigation revealed that Salau attempted to file fraudulent tax returns that would have yielded nearly $1 million in refunds. This brazen attempt at fraud was thwarted by the swift action of law enforcement, and Salau is now facing the consequences of his actions.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas on behalf of the government. The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police, with assistance from the Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided over the case and handed down the 24-month sentence. This sentence serves as a warning to those who would engage in similar fraudulent activities, and demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement to protecting the public from these types of crimes.

The SIRF scheme is a particularly egregious form of fraud, as it involves the use of stolen personal information to obtain fraudulent refunds. This type of fraud can have serious consequences for the victims, including damage to their credit and financial stability. The sentence handed down in this case reflects the seriousness with which law enforcement views these types of crimes.

In addition to the sentence, the case highlights the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in combating fraud. The investigation and prosecution of this case involved the collaboration of multiple agencies, and demonstrates the effectiveness of this type of cooperation in bringing criminals to justice.

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