The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations announced recent actions to deter violations of federal income tax laws.
Yoandy Perez Llanes, 33, a foreign national residing outside the United States, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
Llanes used stolen UPMC employee information to file over 900 false 2013 federal tax returns, requesting refunds onto Amazon.com gift cards. He laundered the gift cards to purchase electronic merchandise, which was shipped to Venezuela.
The scheme resulted in approximately $2.2 million in unlawful refunds, with $1,475,000 actually disbursed.
Acting U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song stated that most people voluntarily pay their fair share of taxes in a timely manner, reserving criminal penalties for flagrant and egregious violators.
Llanes faces a sentence of not more than 22 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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