MAN SENT TO PRISON FOR STEALING IDENTITIES TO FILE FALSE TAX RETURNS FOR REFUNDS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, December 2, 2013
Alabama Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

Clarence Hicks, of Montgomery, Ala., was sentenced to serve 57 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $210,555.62 in restitution for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama.  Hicks had previously pleaded guilty to filing a false claim for a federal tax refund and to aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Hicks had access to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Electronic Filing Identification Number assigned to another person and used that number to file false federal income tax returns in the names of stolen identities.  The court found that Hicks intended to steal more than $300,000 from the IRS, which paid out $210,555.62 in false claims based on fraudulent returns Hicks filed.

This case was investigated by special agents of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation.  Trial Attorneys Justin Gelfand and Jason Poole of the department's Tax Division prosecuted the case.