Vladimir Sonin, False Federal Tax Return and Identity Theft Fraud, Wisconsin 2016

A Milwaukee area couple has been sentenced to prison for their roles in a false federal tax return and identity theft fraud scheme.

According to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Gregory J. Haanstad, Vladimir Sonin (age: 48) of Bayside was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison, 24 of which were mandatory and consecutive, three years’ supervised release, and was also ordered to pay $308,499 in restitution.

Sonin’s sentencing followed the sentencing of his wife, Natalya Sonina (age: 44), on March 22, 2016, by Judge J.P. Stadtmueller, for her participation in the same fraud scheme.

Natalya Sonina was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison, 24 of which are mandatory and consecutive, three years’ supervised release, and was ordered to pay $308,499 in restitution along with her husband Vladimir Sonin.

Vladimir Sonin pleaded guilty to the federal charges on November 18, 2015, and Natalya Sonina pleaded guilty to those same charges on November 24, 2015.

Records filed in court indicate that the couple participated in a scheme to defraud with others from approximately January 1, 2013 until May 13, 2015, which included stealing money from the IRS and various state treasuries through electronically filed fraudulent tax returns claiming a tax refund in the names of identity theft victims.

The couple also received by mail unauthorized access devices issued by financial institutions in the names of identity theft victims, and then caused the IRS and various state treasuries to electronically place stolen tax refunds onto those unauthorized access devices.

The scheme also included stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from unidentified victims who paid to remove a “ransomware” virus that had frozen these persons’ computers.

Finally, the couple used those unauthorized access devices at ATMs and transferred a majority of the scheme proceeds to individuals in the Ukraine.

This case was jointly investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen A. Ingraham.

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