Kendrick Manning, Tax Fraud & Identity Theft, Georgia 2018

Valdosta Man Sentenced For Tax Fraud And Stolen Treasury Checks

VALDOSTA, Georgia - Kendrick Manning, a 42-year-old resident of Valdosta, Georgia, has been sentenced to 60 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Embezzle Public Monies and Possess Stolen U.S. Treasury Checks.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, Charles E. Peeler, Manning pled guilty to the offense on January 18, 2018, and was sentenced on May 9, 2018.

The investigation, led by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service, revealed that Manning obtained identifying information for a number of individuals, including nursing home residents and state prisoners, from unnamed co-conspirators. He then used this information to file fraudulent income tax returns with the IRS between April 2011 and mid-2012.

Manning and his co-conspirators received the fraudulent tax refunds generated by the tax returns in the form of direct deposit in multiple bank accounts held in the name of different individuals or as debit cards loaded with the tax refund amounts.

In total, Manning filed 102 fraudulent returns for tax year 2010, claiming refunds totaling about $450,000, and 432 fraudulent returns for tax year 2011, totaling more than $3.7 million. Of these, nearly $300,000 and $1,185,259 in refunds were paid, respectively.

In 2013, Manning and his co-conspirators presented stolen and otherwise fraudulently obtained United States Treasury checks, including tax refund checks, through a bank account to convert the checks into cash. Manning admitted to receiving the Treasury checks knowing them to be fraudulent and stolen.

The intended monetary loss attributable to Manning based on the conspiracy was more than $4.7 million belonging to the United States. As part of the sentence, more than $2 million has been ordered to be paid in restitution to the United States Department of Treasury, The Citizens Bank in Nashville, Georgia, and ABA Insurance Services, Inc.

“It is disheartening that tax fraud and identity theft is so prevalent,” said United States Attorney Charles Peeler. “My office is committed to prosecuting those individuals who defraud others and the United States.”

“The sentencing of Manning is another victory in the Internal Revenue Service’s continued efforts to combat identity theft,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation.

This case is another example that clearly shows criminals are continuing to steal personal identifying information (PII) for the purpose of committing fraud,” said Clint Bush, Resident Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service.

Investigation: The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service.

Prosecution: Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. McCullers prosecuted the case for the United States.

Contact: Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/valdosta-man-sentenced-tax-fraud-and-stolen-treasury-checks-0