Syracuse, New York – Former Utica Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Theft of Fraudulent Tax Refunds
ANAS K. WILSON, 32, a former resident of Utica, New York, has pled guilty to one count of Theft of Government Property and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.
The charges stem from Wilson’s scheme to file fraudulent U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns on behalf of victims who were not entitled to tax refunds. He directed the tax refunds received to bank accounts that he had established and directed other individuals to withdraw the funds from the accounts and provide him the money, in exchange for a fee.
To execute the scheme, Wilson illegally utilized personal identifying information (including Social Security numbers and names) of the victims. Wilson was responsible for submitting fraudulent tax returns to the IRS that resulted in the release of more than $400,000 in false tax refunds by the IRS.
Wilson faces up to 10 years in prison on the Theft of Government Property count and a 2-year mandatory minimum sentence on the Aggravated Identity Theft count. Sentencing is scheduled for April 14, 2015 before Senior District Judge Frederick J. Scullin Jr.
“Filing fraudulent tax returns with stolen identities is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country,” said United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. “It is estimated our nation is losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in bogus refunds – money that is meant to be used to make American lives safer and better. Theft of tax refunds is a crime against the American people. Our office continues to work diligently with the IRS to stop this crime.”
This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and DCIS, and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Related Federal Cases
- Alan Ceccarelli, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, New York 2016 · New Jersey
- Raphael Oswald, Wire Fraud, Theft of Public Money, Aggravated Identity Theft, Florida 2024 · Florida
- Robert Crisologo Bobadilla Baez, Social Security Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Massachusetts 2019 · Puerto Rico
- Keith Ingersoll, Wire Fraud, Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Aggravated Identity Theft, Florida 2024 · Florida
- Stacie Saunders, Deed Theft, New York NY, 2023 · New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
White Collar CrimeWhite Collar CrimeWhite Collar CrimeWhite Collar Crime