San Francisco Fraudster Sentenced for Identity Theft Tax Fraud

San Francisco – In a stunning reversal of fortune, Howard Webber, 52, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in prison for an elaborate scheme that involved stealing prisoner identities and filing fraudulent tax returns. The U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg, from the Justice Department’s Tax Division, announced the sentence following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg.

Webber was found guilty of conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. The evidence at trial showed that from June 2010 through January 2012, Webber conspired with Clifford Bercovich to obtain the names and social security numbers of fellow inmates during Webber’s time incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, Santa Clara County jail, and the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility in Wisconsin.

Webber and Bercovich convinced inmates to hand over their personal information under the guise of helping them exploit government stimulus programs or secret tax loopholes. They even set up a limited-liability company, Inmate Assets Recovery and Liquidation Services LLC, to lend an air of legitimacy to their operation. The duo then used these identities to file more than 700 false returns with the IRS, falsely claiming income and refunds, accumulating over $600,000 in fraudulent tax refunds.

Webber and Bercovich also opened a post office box for receiving the refund checks and controlled bank accounts to direct funds. Judge Seeborg’s sentence includes an additional three years of supervised release following his prison term. A hearing is scheduled for June 12, 2017, to determine restitution to the IRS.

The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Frentzen and Trial Attorneys Gregory Bernstein and Arthur J. Ewenczyk from the Tax Division. The investigation was conducted by special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who were commended for their diligent work by U.S. Attorney Stretch and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg.

RELATED: Mendocino Thug Gets Decade Behind Bars for Grooming Minor & Child Porn Push

RELATED: Sacramento & Stockton Men Nabbed in Tax Refund Schemes