Camilla Gonzalez, Tax Refund Fraud, Florida 2014
A Lauderhill, Florida woman has been convicted of using stolen personal identifying information to file false and fraudulent federal income tax returns, netting her over $1.8 million in refunds.
Camilla Gonzalez, 29, and Patricia Alcime, 29, both of Lauderhill, were convicted of tax refund fraud after a two-day jury trial in the Southern District of Florida. The women used stolen social security numbers and other personal identifying information to file false tax returns, claiming refunds to which they were not entitled.
The defendants conspired to defraud the United States by obtaining and using stolen means of identification to file false and fraudulent federal income tax returns. They used the Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN) assigned to Luxury Tax Inc. to file the returns and claimed refunds to which they were not entitled from the IRS. The women directed the IRS to direct deposit the fraudulently claimed refunds into bank accounts at JP Morgan Chase Bank and SunTrust Bank or onto pre-paid reloadable debit card accounts.
Once the bank accounts or pre-paid reloadable debit cards had been funded, Gonzalez would withdraw the funds by making withdrawals at local automated teller machines, transfers to other accounts under her control or to merchants directly, or would utilize the debit cards associated with the Luxury Tax Inc. bank accounts to make everyday purchases, including point of sale transactions at various local businesses and merchants.
Camilla Gonzalez was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit false claims, two counts of theft of public money, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. She faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to ten years in prison on each of the theft of public money and conspiracy to commit false claim counts, and a mandatory consecutive two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft counts. The defendant will also forfeit $511,801.28 in U.S. currency that had been frozen by SunTrust Bank.
Gonzalez filed 621 fraudulent 2010 tax returns on behalf of unsuspecting identity theft victims, claiming $1,738,639.00 in fraudulent refunds. The IRS subsequently paid out $1,858,386.00 in refunds directly to accounts under her control.
The sentencing for Gonzalez has been scheduled for April 9, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas in Ft. Lauderdale.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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