Kevin K. Williams, ID Theft, Tax Fraud, Mail Fraud, Missouri 2024

A brazen scheme to swindle public school employees out of their hard-earned cash has landed a St. Louis man in hot water. Kevin K. Williams, a resident of the city, has been indicted on mail fraud and aggravated identity theft charges stemming from a scheme to steal public school employees’ IDs and use them to file federal tax returns.

According to the indictment, Williams allegedly stole public school employees’ IDs from a payroll company and used them to electronically file fraudulent federal income tax returns in the name of those employees. He also allegedly stole several tax preparation businesses’ Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs), which he used to secure bank products that allowed him to print refund checks and direct refunds to prepaid debit cards.

Williams’ scheme, which spanned the country, saw him allegedly print refund checks issued in the names of the stolen IDs, as well as blank check stock and debit cards sent to his residence. The indictment alleges that Williams used these stolen IDs and EFINs to file over 100 fraudulent tax returns, netting him thousands of dollars in ill-gotten gains.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and Williams is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, however, Williams faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each mail fraud count and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.

The investigation into Williams’ scheme was a joint effort between the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Dothan Alabama Police Department, and Alexander City Alabama Police Department. Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler and Charles M. Edgar, Jr. of the Tax Division will be prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Missouri and Middle District of Alabama.

The indictment serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting personal identifying information and the devastating consequences of falling victim to identity theft. As the Grimy Times continues to shine a light on these crimes, we urge citizens to remain vigilant and take steps to safeguard their sensitive information.

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