Florida men Marlan L. Copeland and Brannoc K. Rudd were convicted of participating in a massive tax refund fraud scheme, cashing over $100,000 in tax refund checks between January 2010 and April 2010.
Copeland, a resident of Miramar, and Rudd, a resident of Miami Gardens, made their way to a Wachovia bank in Miami Gardens, where they deposited over twenty checks, each reflecting a tax refund issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. At the bank, the defendants cashed the checks and left with the money, totaling over $100,000.
However, as shown during the ten-day trial, the signatures on the checks were later identified as forgeries by the actual taxpayers. This devastating blow to the defendants’ scheme led to their conviction.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, praised the investigative efforts of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the United States Secret Service (USSS) in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Copeland faces a maximum term of 12 years in prison, while Rudd faces a maximum term of five years in prison. Sentencing is set for April 20, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Gonsoulin and John Byrne are leading the prosecution of the case. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and related court documents and information can be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
The case highlights the importance of vigilance in preventing and detecting tax refund fraud schemes. It also underscores the commitment of law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice and protect taxpayers’ interests.
Related Federal Cases
- Jermaine Winters, Tax Refund Fraud and Identity Theft, Florida 2012 · Florida
- Sean Anthony Lopez, Tax Refund Fraud, Florida 2023 · Florida
- Andy Lamour, Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud, Florida 2012 · Florida
- Freddie Howard, Tax Refund Fraud Scheme, Florida 2014 · Florida
- Adrianne Marta Frazer, Tax Refund Fraud, Arizona 2023 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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