Aurora man Mark J. Jones, Sr. has been brought to justice for his role in a massive tax fraud scheme that swindled the Internal Revenue Service out of over $2.6 million.
Jones, 51, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme, which was discovered in 2013 after a local check cashing business noticed one of its employees had cashed over $2 million in U.S. Treasury checks.
According to a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Jones and his co-conspirators stole the personal identifying information of numerous people and filed at least 810 fraudulent income tax returns. As a result, Jones and his co-conspirators received in excess of $2.6 million in fraudulent income tax refunds.
The scheme was uncovered after a local check cashing business noticed one of its employees had cashed over $2 million in U.S. Treasury checks. The employee identified another co-conspirator as the individual who cashed the treasury checks and indicated he paid her $200 per check to cash the treasury checks in violation of the company’s policies.
Jones faces a maximum penalty of 42 years when he is sentenced on September 21, 2015. He was charged in a criminal information on April 13, 2015.
A joint investigation by the IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia led to Jones’ arrest and subsequent guilty plea. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The case is a stark reminder of the importance of protecting one’s personal identifying information and the devastating consequences of identity theft.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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