Montgomery Woman Gets Decade For Tax Refund Heist

MONTGOMERY, AL – Rhashema Deramus, 23, of Montgomery, Alabama, will spend the next ten years behind bars after being sentenced today for orchestrating a brazen identity theft and tax refund scam. U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr. announced the sentence, a harsh penalty for a crime that devastated multiple victims and exposed vulnerabilities in data security.

Deramus wasn’t a lone operator. She led a ring of thieves who systematically stole names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers – a staggering 881 identities pilfered from the Troy Regional Medical Center alone. These stolen identities weren’t used for petty theft; they were weaponized to file fraudulent tax returns, generating refunds that rightfully belonged to others. The ill-gotten gains, totaling $1,198,063, were loaded onto prepaid debit cards and cashed out at ATMs, fueling Deramus’ lavish lifestyle.

Law enforcement caught a break in March 2011, tracking suspicious ATM activity back to a vehicle connected to the scam. A traffic stop revealed 165 prepaid debit cards in the names of others, along with a computer brimming with stolen personal information. A subsequent search of Deramus’ residence unearthed an even larger trove: 276 more debit cards, additional computers, and thousands of pieces of stolen data. Later, another 88 cards surfaced in her possession, bringing the total to a minimum of 520 cards linked to the fraudulent scheme.

The courtroom was filled with the wreckage of Deramus’ crimes. One victim, a former defense contractor earning around $100,000 annually, testified to losing his job and security clearance after his identity was stolen. The fallout extended to his military service with the Air National Guard, forcing him to take a job at a fast-food restaurant and teach part-time computer classes. His wife was forced to abandon nursing school, and the entire family suffered. Two Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office employees also testified that their children’s personal information had been compromised, causing them financial hardship.

The CEO of Troy Regional Medical Center revealed that the data breach stemmed from a contract employee, Angeline Austin, who was part of Deramus’ ring. Austin received a 65-month federal prison sentence earlier this year for her role in the theft. United States District Judge Mark E. Fuller didn’t just hand down a prison sentence; he ordered Deramus to pay $1,198,063 in restitution – a monumental task given the nature of the crime and the likely dissipation of funds. Deramus pled guilty to theft of government money, fraudulent use of debit cards, and aggravated identity theft on August 29, 2012.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of identity theft and the lengths to which criminals will go to exploit vulnerable systems. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing fight against financial fraud.