Howard Webber, Tax Fraud, California 2017

A former Marin County resident has been convicted of conspiring to use prisoner identities and file fraudulent tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Tax Division.

Howard Webber, 52, was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to use the identities of others and file false federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The evidence presented at trial revealed that from June 2010 through January 2012, Webber conspired with Clifford Bercovich, 69, of San Rafael, California, to obtain the names and social security numbers of fellow inmates while Webber was incarcerated at various prisons and jails.

Webber convinced inmates to give their names and social security numbers by explaining that they could help inmates take advantage of government programs. He recruited certain inmates to help solicit the identities of other inmates and created a limited-liability company, Inmate Assets Recovery and Liquidation Services LLC, to make their scheme appear legitimate.

Webber and Bercovich then used these identities to file false federal income tax returns with the IRS. The returns falsely represented that the inmates earned wages or other income and fraudulently claimed refunds. Webber and Bercovich opened a post office box, which they listed as the taxpayer address on each false return and used it to receive the fraudulently obtained refund checks.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Webber and Bercovich filed more than 700 false returns and received over $600,000 in fraudulently obtained income tax refunds.

Webber faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He also faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.

Webber is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Richard Seeborg on May 16, 2017.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Webber convinced inmates to give their names and social security numbers by explaining that they could help inmates take advantage of government programs.

Clifford Bercovich, a co-conspirator, pleaded guilty in December 2016 to conspiracy, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeborg on April 11, 2017.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/former-marin-county-resident-convicted-using-prisoner-identities-and-filing-fraudulent