Scott William Acorn, Fraudulent Tax Refund Scheme, Arizona 2015

Nogales Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Tax Scam

TUCSON, Ariz. – In a shocking display of audacity, Scott William Acorn, a 43-year-old resident of Nogales, Ariz., was sentenced to a total of 78 months imprisonment and ordered to pay $415,000 in restitution.

On July 8, 2015, U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson handed down the sentence, which was the culmination of a lengthy investigation into Acorn's involvement in a fraudulent tax refund scheme.

According to court documents, Acorn and another individual acquired the personal identification information of approximately 1,117 individuals, using this information to electronically file false tax returns seeking refunds of approximately $1,000 on each return.

The individuals whose information was used were unaware of the returns being filed in their name, and for tax years 2010 and 2011, the conspirators sought over a million dollars in fraudulent refunds, resulting in a payout of $414,000 by the United States Treasury.

The investigation into Acorn's activities was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Tucson, and the prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson.

Acorn's sentence was enhanced by his admission that he fled to Mexico while on pre-trial release in 2012 and continued to file false tax returns in much the same manner as before. In September of 2014, he was discovered and returned to the United States to face prosecution.

Acorn pleaded guilty on March 31, 2015, to conspiracy, filing false claim for refund, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The exact criminal charges against him are as follows: conspiracy, filing false claim for refund, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Defendant: Scott William Acorn

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy, filing false claim for refund, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft

City and State: Nogales, Arizona

Date: July 8, 2015 (sentencing), March 31, 2015 (guilty plea)

Sentence: 78 months imprisonment and $415,000 in restitution

Dollar Amounts: $415,000 (restitution), $414,000 (fraudulent refunds), $1,000 (refunds per return)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/nogales-resident-sentenced-78-months-fraudulent-tax-refund-scheme