A brazen tax refund scam has come to light in Miami, with a 28-year-old resident pleading guilty to a stolen identity tax fraud scheme involving over $1 million in tax refunds.
Yasmany Lopez, a Miami-Dade County resident, admitted to participating in a scheme involving approximately 1,288 debit cards, each containing a different individual’s name, mail addressed to several different individuals, and ATM receipts. The debit cards, which included 245 Turbo Tax cards and 1,035 Green Dot cards, held a total of $1,071,188 in federal income tax refunds.
According to court documents, Lopez was involved in a larger scheme to transport controlled substances from Colombia to Honduras, which involved the use of a confidential source (CS) and a $500,000 payment. Lopez was stopped by officers while attempting to deliver the remaining $330,000 to the CS, and was found with two boxes containing the cash and the debit cards.
During a subsequent search of Lopez’s residence, law enforcement discovered an additional 48 Turbo Tax debit cards, 8 Green Dot debit cards, and numerous Turbo Tax mailing envelopes and cardholder agreements. Lopez admitted to removing cash from the debit cards at ATMs in exchange for a 2% commission, and recruited individuals to use their mailing addresses to receive the debit cards in exchange for $100 per card.
Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, and faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison for the access device charge, and a mandatory term of 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft charge. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 8, 2016, before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, the DEA, and the Sunrise Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared M. Strauss.
The scheme was uncovered in 2012, when individuals in Colombia negotiated with the CS to rent an airplane to transport controlled substances. The CS received an initial payment of $170,000, and Lopez was involved in arranging the delivery of the remaining $330,000. The case highlights the complexities of white-collar crime and the need for continued vigilance in protecting taxpayer information.
Related Federal Cases
- North Miami Man Pleads Guilty in $2.4M Tax Refund Scam · Florida
- Miami Tax Preparers and Client Get 90 Months for $5.4M Fraudulent Refund Scheme · Florida
- Booker Admits Role in $2.1M Tax Refund Scam · Florida
- Miami Man Sentenced in Identity Theft Tax Fraud Scam · Florida
- Copeland & Rudd Accused of $300K Tax Refund Scam · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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