Federal prosecutors dropped the hammer on SEENEY RISTICK, a 33-year-old Tacoma man, after he pleaded guilty to swindling over $1.8 million in fraudulent income tax refunds.
RISTICK’s scheme spanned from 2008 to 2013, where he cunningly used various tax preparation firms across Western Washington as his accomplices. The scam involved presenting fake papers and forms, falsely claiming self-employment income, and defrauding the Internal Revenue Service with a grand total of 524 fraudulent federal income tax returns.
According to U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan, RISTICK pocketed between $500 and $1500 per false return he filed. The Treasury Department paid out nearly $1.6 million before the fraud was exposed, with no money having been repaid to date.
The plea agreement paints a picture of an organized crime ring operated by RISTICK, who not only forged powers of attorney but also sometimes accompanied individuals to tax firms, assisting in filing the false returns himself. His fraudulent activities were meticulously planned and executed with the intent to defraud the IRS.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle will sentence RISTICK on September 8, 2014, where he faces up to five years in prison. The investigation was spearheaded by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Assistant United States Attorney Steven Masada is prosecuting the case.
This is a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to exploit our tax system for personal gain, leaving taxpayers and the government at loss. RISTICK’s case is yet another example of white-collar crime that can have devastating effects on public finances.
Related Federal Cases
- Stahlman Nabbed for $95K Tax Refund Scam · Washington
- McClure and Chambers Sentenced for $1.5M Contractor Fraud Scheme · Washington
- Macon Tax Preparer Willie Grant Sentenced For ID Theft & Fraud · Washington
- Bolden Pleads Guilty to $30M Computer Fraud Scheme · Washington
- Nathaniel Swanson Sentenced for Reptile Smuggling Scheme · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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