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Utah Ex-Taxman Stole $2M from Feds, ExxonMobil
Rodney Quinn Rupe, 46, of Syracuse, Utah, has been accused of stealing more than $2 million in tax credits from the IRS and ExxonMobil. The indictment alleges that Rupe abused his position as a former IRS employee to divert tax credits owed to ExxonMobil to his own company, Ex Xo Exteriors Ltd.
According to court documents, Rupe devised a scheme from July 2021 to March 2024 to fraudulently obtain money from the IRS and ExxonMobil. As a former IRS account management employee, Rupe had access to certain taxpayer accounts and case processing tools in an IRS computer database where he had the ability to adjust tax, credits, penalties, and interest to certain taxpayer accounts.
The scheme allegedly started in July 2021, when Rupe accessed an IRS database to assign a newly created employer identification number (EIN) to Ex Xo Exteriors Ltd. He then transferred the diverted tax funds from one tax year to another, resulting in a refund in the form of a United States Treasury check in the amount of $2,100,377.38. The refund consisted of the diverted tax credits and interest owed to ExxonMobil.
Rupe attempted to deposit the U.S. Treasury check at multiple America First Credit Union locations on several occasions in January 2024. He is now facing charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and theft of government property.
Rupe’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 3, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant United States Attorney Stewart M. Young is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The full extent of Rupe’s scheme and the amount of money he stole from the IRS and ExxonMobil is still unknown, but one thing is clear: Rupe’s actions have left a trail of financial devastation in his wake.
Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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