{"id":26727,"date":"2016-09-21T19:17:58","date_gmt":"2016-09-22T02:17:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=26727"},"modified":"2016-09-21T19:17:58","modified_gmt":"2016-09-22T02:17:58","slug":"men-involved-in-filing-at-least-12000-fraudulent-tax-returns-sentenced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=26727","title":{"rendered":"Men Involved in Filing at Least 12,000 Fraudulent Tax Returns Sentenced"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON D.C.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"Courtroom\"Two residents were sentenced Wednesday for their involvement in a far-reaching stolen identity refund fraud scheme in which they worked with others to seek over $700,000 in income tax refunds through the filing of fraudulent federal income tax returns, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wayne Gardner, 50, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and Michael Whittaker, 32, of Cumberland, Maryland, are among about 20 participants in this scheme who have plead guilty to charges in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to court documents, the overall case involves the filing of at least 12,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns that sought refunds of at least $42 million.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two men pleaded guilty on Jan. 20, to one count each of conspiracy to commit theft of public money and theft of public money.<\/span><\/p>\n

U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle sentenced Gardner to serve 16 months in prison, 200 hours of community service and ordered him to pay $158,160 in restitution to the IRS, and sentenced Whittaker to serve 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay $397,090.95 in restitution to the IRS.<\/span><\/p>\n

The restitution ordered represents the value of the U.S. Treasury checks that were negotiated as a result of their conduct.\u00a0 Following their prison terms, the men will be placed on three years of supervised release.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the government\u2019s evidence, Gardner and Whittaker participated in a massive and sophisticated stolen identity refund fraud scheme that involved an extensive network of more than 130 people, many of whom were receiving public assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The refunds were sought for tax years 2005 through 2012, often in the names of people whose identities had been stolen, including the elderly, people in assisted living facilities, drug addicts and incarcerated prisoners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Returns were also filed in the names of, and refunds were issued to, people who were willing participants in the scheme.\u00a0 The refunds listed more than 400 \u201ctaxpayer\u201d addresses located in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to documents filed with the court, Gardner and Whittaker obtained the means of identification of third parties, including names and social security numbers and provided them to a co-conspirator for use in the preparation of fraudulent income tax returns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whittaker admitted to providing 21 means of identification from August 2010 to May 2012.\u00a0 He also permitted various residential addresses that he controlled to be used as purported taxpayer addresses for the delivery of tax refund checks and deposited U.S. Treasury checks that were received as part of this scheme into his bank accounts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gardner admitted to providing 65 means of identification to a co-conspirator between August and December 2010, and his involvement in the filing of 116 fraudulent tax returns that sought refunds of approximately $299,984.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whittaker admitted that he was involved in the filing of 135 fraudulent tax returns that sought refunds of approximately $494,902.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fraudulent tax returns that were filed as part of the scheme included Schedules C or C-EZ that falsely claimed that each \u201ctaxpayer\u201d operated a business, such as \u201cbarber\u201d or \u201cchildcare,\u201d as a sole proprietorship, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

The returns falsely stated that the \u201ctaxpayer\u201d had gross receipts and two or more dependent children, when, in fact, the \u201ctaxpayer\u201d was either a victim of identity theft, was misled into providing his or her identifying information, or was a willing participant in the scheme.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two other defendants recently were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy:<\/span><\/p>\n