MIAMI, FL – In a brazen identity theft scheme, 41-year-old Eldridge Nichols of Miami cashed $322,000 worth of fake tax refund checks, using the ill-gotten gains for personal expenses. Nichols pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money, a crime punishable by up to ten years in prison.
According to court documents, Nichols controlled a bank account in the name of Eldridge Nichols LLC and used it to deposit fraudulent tax refund checks. Between February 2011 and January 2012, he cashed 43 U.S. Treasury tax refund checks, totaling $322,000.
The victims, whose identities were stolen, had no knowledge of the scheme and did not receive any of the proceeds. Law enforcement contacted a sample of the victims, all of whom denied any involvement with Nichols.
Nichols will be sentenced on June 29, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. As part of his plea agreement, Nichols agreed to pay restitution in the amount of approximately $322,000.
U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) for their tireless work in bringing Nichols to justice.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
The investigative agencies involved in the case are committed to protecting the public from financial crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in protecting personal financial information.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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