Dewayne Vass, Wire Fraud, New York 2023

BUFFALO, N.Y. – In a shocking turn of events, a local man has been caught up in a massive tax scam, resulting in a guilty plea to wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Dewayne Vass, 30, of Buffalo, has admitted to being part of a scheme to defraud the government by obtaining money from the filing of false tax returns.

The scheme, which was uncovered by investigators from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service, has resulted in losses totaling $72,589.00 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Vass, who received the proceeds from one of the fraudulent tax returns, used the money to obtain cash from an ATM, totaling $6,248. The defendant used a prepaid debit card to access the funds.

The charge against Vass carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

This law enforcement action is part of President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, which was established to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement.

The investigation into Vass’ activities was conducted by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Toni M. Weirauch, and the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Kevin Niland, Inspector in Charge, Boston Division.

As the investigation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how far-reaching the effects of Vass’ actions will be. One thing is certain, however – the defendant’s guilty plea is a significant blow to those involved in the tax scam, and serves as a reminder of the consequences of participating in such crimes.

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