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Flavio Torres-Tello, Income Tax Refund Scheme, South Carolina 2023
Columbia, South Carolina – In a shocking case of identity theft, Flavio Torres-Tello, a.k.a. ‘El Jefe’, has been sentenced to 61 months of incarceration for his role in a $1.4 million income tax refund scheme.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, Torres-Tello, 42, of Newberry, directed others to buy or steal IRS form W-2s from migrant workers in and around the Lexington County area. He then used the W-2 forms to file hundreds of fraudulent income tax returns, often adding multiple fictitious dependents to inflate the amount of the refunds.
With the help of forged Mexican Consular Identification Cards, Torres-Tello was able to cash the refund checks at retail locations. The scheme netted him and his accomplices a staggering $1.4 million from the United States Treasury.
US Attorney Bill Nettles stated, ‘The IRS is aggressively pursuing those who steal others’ identities in order to file false returns.’ Nettles emphasized that the cooperative work between the IRS and the US Attorney’s Office will help protect taxpayers in South Carolina from being victimized by identity theft.
The case was investigated by Special Agents with the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security/HSI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant US Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
Torres-Tello pleaded guilty to unlawful identification document transfer in violation of 18 United States Code, Section 1028(a)(2) and aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 United States Code, Section 1028A. He faces deportation upon his release.
The IRS is taking additional steps this tax season to further prevent, detect, and resolve identity theft cases as soon as possible. The agency is working tirelessly to protect taxpayers from being victimized by identity thieves.
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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