Kemi Lim-Tom, Bank Fraud, Credit Card Fraud, Tax Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Florida 2023

Tampa, FL – In a major blow to individuals who defraud financial institutions, U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Kemi Lim-Tom (38, Tampa) to eight years and four months in federal prison for bank fraud, tax fraud, credit card fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Lim-Tom was ordered to pay $345,943.49 in restitution.

Lim-Tom had previously pleaded guilty on July 26, 2022, and her sentencing hearing took place on February 15, 2023.

According to court documents, in February 2018, officers from the Tampa Police Department found Lim-Tom and her coconspirator, Sonya Seago, in possession of more than 1,500 individuals’ stolen personal identifying information. Subsequent investigation revealed that Lim-Tom used these identities to commit bank fraud, tax fraud, and credit card fraud.

Lim-Tom orchestrated a scheme to defraud financial institutions by manufacturing counterfeit checks with fraudulent company names and bank account numbers belonging to victim businesses and then cashing these checks for profit. Between 2012 and February 2018, Lim-Tom recruited and paid others to receive some of these checks and provide her with the proceeds. The face value of the fraudulent checks involved in the scheme was more than $600,000.

Lim-Tom also committed tax fraud by using stolen identities to obtain tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service. Between March 2013 and July 2014, Lim-Tom obtained four fraudulent tax refunds totaling more than $27,000 and attempted to obtain an additional 56 refunds totaling more than $300,000.

On February 15, 2023, Sonya Seago (50, Tampa) was sentenced to 32 months in federal prison for her role in the fraud offenses.

Lim-Tom’s case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and John Cannizzaro.

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