Las Vegas is reeling from a brazen IRS tax refund fraud scheme that netted more than $2 million in stolen government cash, with Elizabeth Trinh sentenced today to 18 months behind bars for her central role. The case, unsealed in federal court, exposes a tightly woven family conspiracy that exploited dead relatives, fake businesses, and Las Vegas casinos to launder millions in fraudulent refunds.
U.S. District Court Judge James C. Mahan handed down the sentence for one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, further ordering Trinh to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution totaling $362,328 to the IRS. The judgment marks the final chapter in the prosecution of three family members tied to the elaborate fraud ring that stretched across multiple identities and financial fronts.
According to court documents, Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh conspired to file false corporate and individual tax returns, fabricating income tax withholdings to trigger IRS refunds. Returns were filed under fictitious business names, their own identities, and even the name of a deceased family member—blatant attempts to bypass detection and siphon federal funds.
Chanh V. Trinh, the architect of the scheme, prepared and submitted the fraudulent returns. All three defendants cashed or deposited the resulting refund checks through Las Vegas banks and check-cashing outlets. To hide the dirty money, they routinely bought cashier’s checks and converted them into gambling chips at local casinos—a common tactic in money laundering circles.
The total damage: over $6 million in false claims submitted to the IRS, with more than $2 million successfully paid out before federal investigators shut the operation down. On April 10, 2019, Judge Mahan previously sentenced Chanh V. Trinh to 102 months in prison and Cannedy Trinh to 24 months—making this latest sentence the final nail in the family’s criminal enterprise.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr. of IRS-Criminal Investigation commended the agents and prosecutors who dismantled the scheme. Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Eric C. Schmale of the Justice Department’s Tax Division led the prosecution, proving once again that even the quietest frauds in Sin City don’t stay hidden for long.
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Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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