WASHINGTON D.C.
A federal judge sentenced a Bowie, Maryland man to four years in prison after he plead guilty in January for his involvement in a widespread ID theft and tax fraud scheme in which he helped in the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $4.4 million from the IRS, according to federal officials.
Marc A. Bell, 49, a former employee of the District of Columbia’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), admitted taking part in a 
massive and sophisticated identity theft and false tax return scheme that involved an extensive network of more than 130 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance.
Bell is one of approximately 20 participants in this scheme who have pleaded guilty to federal charges in U.S. District Court in Columbia.
According to court documents, the scheme involved the filing of at least 12,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns that sought refunds of at least $42 million from the U.S. Treasury.
The false tax returns were filed for the tax years 2005 through 2013 and were often filed in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated individuals.
Refunds also were sent to people who were willing participants in the scheme.
The refunds listed more than 400 “taxpayer” addresses located in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
According to court documents, from 2005 to 2013, Bell was employed as a program manager, program officer or placement expeditor at the District of Columbia’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.
The agency is responsible for the supervision, custody and care of young people charged with a delinquent act in the District of Columbia and either detained in a Youth Rehabilitation Services facility while awaiting adjudication or committed to Youth Rehabilitation Services by a District of Columbia Family Court judge following adjudication.
In his various capacities at Youth Rehabilitation Services, Bell had access to the agency’s database system, which contained the personal identifying information of Youth Rehabilitation Services youth, including their names and social security numbers.
Bell admitted that between approximately May 2010 and April 2013, he used his computer access to obtain the personal identifying information of at least 645 then-current and former Youth Rehabilitation Services’ youth.
Bell provided this information to other scheme participants, who used the names and social security numbers to file at least 1,160 fraudulent federal income tax returns that claimed refunds of approximately $4.4 million, according to officials.
The IRS issued approximately 700 U.S. Treasury checks, totaling approximately $2,422,211, in the names of the Rehabilitation Services youth in whose names the tax returns were filed. Bell received financial compensation from co-conspirators for providing the stolen identities.
Bell pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, one count of aiding and abetting in the filing of fictitious or false claims and one count aiding and abetting fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle ordered Bell to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,972,710.
This morning, Lakisha Jackson, 40, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of public money for her role in the scheme.
As part of her plea, she admitted that between September 2010 and May 2012 she allowed her residential address to be used to file approximately 70 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking refunds of about $229,199 and to receive 61 fraudulently-procured U.S. Treasury checks totaling approximately $193,977.
Jackson faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $175,953. Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13.
A resident of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced today to four years in prison after pleading guilty in January for his involvement in a far-reaching identity theft and tax fraud scheme in which he assisted in the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $4.4 million in refunds, according to federal officials.
Marc A. Bell, 49, a former employee of the District of Columbia’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), admitted taking part in a massive and sophisticated identity theft and false tax return scheme that involved an extensive network of more than 130 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance.
According to court documents, the scheme involved the filing of at least 12,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns that sought refunds of at least $42 million from the U.S. Treasury.
The false tax returns sought refunds for tax years 2005 through 2013 and were often filed in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated individuals.
Refunds also were sent to people who were willing participants in the scheme. The refunds listed more than 400 “taxpayer” addresses located in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
According to documents filed with the court, from 2005 to 2013, Bell was employed as a program manager, program officer or placement expeditor at the District of Columbia’s Youth Rehabilitation Services.
The agency is responsible for the supervision, custody and care of young people charged with a delinquent act in the District of Columbia and either detained in Youth Services’ facility while awaiting adjudication or committed to Youth Rehabilitation Services by a District of Columbia Family Court judge following adjudication.
In his various capacities at Youth Rehabilitation Services, Bell had access to the agency’s database system, which contained the personal identifying information of Youth Rehabilitation Services youth, including their names and social security numbers.
Bell admitted that between approximately May 2010 and April 2013, he used his computer access to obtain the personal identifying information of at least 645 then-current and former Youth Rehabilitation Services youth.
Bell admitted that he provided this information to other scheme participants, who used the names and social security numbers to file at least 1,160 fraudulent federal income tax returns that claimed refunds of approximately $4.4 million.
The IRS issued approximately 700 U.S. Treasury checks, totaling approximately $2.4 million in the names of the Youth Rehabilitation Services youth in whose names the tax returns were filed. Bell received financial compensation from co-conspirators for providing the stolen identities.
Bell is one of approximately 20 participants in this scheme who have pleaded guilty to federal charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Bell pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, one count of aiding and abetting in the filing of fictitious or false claims and one count aiding and abetting fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle ordered Bell to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $1,972,710.
This morning, Lakisha Jackson, 40, of District Heights, Maryland, plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of public money for her role in the scheme.
As part of her plea, she admitted that between September 2010 and May 2012 she allowed her residential address to be used to file approximately 70 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking refunds of approximately $229,199 and to receive 61 fraudulently-procured U.S. Treasury checks totaling approximately $193,977.
Jackson faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $175,953. Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13.