ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – In a shocking case of identity theft and conspiracy, Demetrick Ruffin, a 41-year-old man from Los Angeles, California, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Ruffin conspired with others to obtain identity information, including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers, which were then used to prepare false IRS W-2 forms containing fabricated wages and withholding amounts. The co-conspirators then took the identity information and falsified documents to tax preparation services in Anchorage, Eagle River, Palmer, Alaska, as well as in Los Angeles and Orange County, California.
The scheme involved filing false individual income tax returns, with refunds ranging from $1,400 to $8,600. In some cases, Ruffin and his co-conspirators claimed that the “taxpayers” had dependent children that they did not, in fact, have, in order to increase the amount of refunds generated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta Randall advised the court that between January 2009 and March 2010, Ruffin and his co-conspirators used the stolen identity information to claim tax refunds, which were then loaded onto stored value cards and accessed by the conspirators.
Judge Timothy M. Burgess scheduled Ruffin’s sentencing for July 10, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, on the conspiracy charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The crime of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to be imposed consecutively to the sentence imposed on the conspiracy charge. Ruffin is currently detained pending sentencing.
Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of IRS Criminal Investigation commended the IRS for its efforts in combating identity theft-related tax refund fraud, stating, “Identify theft related tax refund fraud is a top priority for the IRS. Together with the US Attorney’s Office, we are committed to fighting this growing epidemic.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder commended the IRS for its dedication to fighting this type of crime, saying, “This plea today is a victory for every honest taxpaying American, but especially so for those directly impacted by this nefarious crime.”
Related Federal Cases
- Lejohn Windom Sr., Tax Fraud and Identity Theft, California 2024 · Virginia
- Patricia Ramona Vasquez, Bank and Identity Theft, California · Florida
- Sherrell Davis, Tax Refund Identity Theft, California 2011-2013 · Washington
- Demetrick Ruffin, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Alaska 2010 · Texas
- Daniel Jermaine Usher, Aggravated Identity Theft, California 2024 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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