A Montgomery, Alabama resident was today handed a 28-month prison sentence for his involvement in a massive stolen identity refund fraud scheme. Lambert Derran Smothers, also known as Main or Mane, aged 25, admitted to conspiring with others to use stolen personal information to file over 100 fraudulent income tax returns, affecting the years 2010 to 2012.
Smothers and his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed nearly $157,292 in tax refunds. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo emphasized the severity of such crimes, stating that individuals who engage in this criminal conduct will be prosecuted and face substantial penalties.
U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr., from the Middle District of Alabama, highlighted the importance of protecting taxpayer dollars and thanked IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service for shutting down the scheme. Special Agent in Charge Veronica Hyman-Pillot for the IRS-CI emphasized that stealing from the government is not a legitimate way to earn a living.
Smothers pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States, theft of government money, and aggravated identity theft. Along with his prison sentence, he must serve three years of supervised release and pay $81,792.41 in restitution to the IRS.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Gregory P. Bailey and Robert J. Boudreau of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross of the Middle District of Alabama. The investigation was conducted by special agents of IRS-CI and the U.S. Secret Service.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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