Jeaneno Florent, Wire Fraud, Florida 2023

A North Miami man has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in a $2.4 million tax refund scam. Jeaneno Florent, 38, was ordered to serve 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

According to the plea documents, Florent caused a false and fraudulent individual income tax return in his own name to be submitted to the IRS in January 2012. The tax return falsely and fraudulently indicated that the defendant worked at Capitol Records, Inc., made approximately $8.7 million and was entitled to a refund of approximately $613,000. In reality, the defendant had not worked at Capitol Records and was not entitled to this refund. Even though the return was fraudulent, and Florent knew the return was fraudulent, the IRS approved payment and a refund anticipation check for approximately $613,000 in the defendant’s name. Florent deposited the check in a bank account in his own name and used the proceeds for his own personal benefit.

According to plea documents and documents submitted in court, Florent submitted a similar fraudulent tax refund claim with the IRS in 2013 seeking approximately $573,000, and also conspired with Gerald Duverger who submitted similar fraudulent tax refund claims for approximately $613,000 and approximately $573,000 in Duverger’s name in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger.

The defendant, Jeaneno Florent, was sentenced on an unspecified date. He was ordered to pay $1,226,068 in restitution. The case is being prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Florent’s crimes were committed in North Miami, Florida. The defendant caused a false and fraudulent individual income tax return to be submitted to the IRS in January 2012.

The total amount of fraudulent refund claims submitted by Florent and his co-conspirator, Gerald Duverger, was approximately $2.4 million. The defendant was caught and brought to justice after a thorough investigation by the IRS-CI and the U.S. Secret Service.

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