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Buffalo Woman Sentenced for Passport Scam, Tax Evasion
A 61-year-old Buffalo woman has been sentenced for a brazen passport scam and tax evasion scheme that left authorities stunned.
Diane Abram, 61, applied for a U.S. passport under a false name, Diane Ballard, in January 2013 at the U.S. Passport Office in Buffalo. The application was riddled with lies, including the omission of her previous use of the name Diane Abram and the fact that she had obtained passports in that name before.
Abram admitted to intentionally attempting to obtain passports in two separate names and social security numbers in a desperate bid to avoid paying $25,000 in outstanding taxes.
The passport office detected the fraud and Abram’s scheme was subsequently exposed. She pleaded guilty to making false statements in a passport application and tax evasion.
Abram was sentenced to two years of supervised release, with five months of home confinement, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William M. Skretny.
The joint investigation that led to Abram’s downfall was carried out by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-In-Charge Toni Weirauch, and Agents of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Roy Stillman.
Abram’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would attempt to defraud the government and escape their tax obligations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryEllen Kresse, who handled the case, stated that Abram’s actions were a clear attempt to evade the law and avoid paying her fair share of taxes.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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