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Tax Refund Fraud Scheme Lands Man 2+ Years in Prison
A 33-year-old Loomis man has been sentenced to over two years in prison for his role in a tax refund fraud scheme that netted the Internal Revenue Service over $573,000 in unpaid refunds.
Aleksandr Kuzmenko was sentenced to two years and three months in prison by United States District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Kuzmenko was also ordered to pay $573,332 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents, Kuzmenko worked as a tax preparer at VK Tax Services in Citrus Heights in 2009. Between February 2009 and November 2009, Kuzmenko conspired with others to file approximately 90 fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
The tax returns fraudulently claimed the First-Time Homebuyer Credit, which was worth as much as $7,500. The refunds for the fraudulent claims were electronically deposited into various bank accounts controlled by Kuzmenko’s co-defendants. The fraudulent claims totaled approximately $695,724, of which the IRS paid approximately $573,000.
Co-defendants Peter Kuzmenko and Valeriy Nikitchuk have pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and are currently scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2016. Co-defendant Arsen Muhtarov has entered a plea of not guilty. The charges against him are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michele Beckwith prosecuted the case.
The tax refund fraud scheme is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences for honest taxpayers. We will continue to work to bring perpetrators to justice and protect the integrity of our tax system.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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