[BreachExchange] Georgia Husband and Wife Plead Guilty In Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme Involving IRS “Get Transcript” Database

[Audrey McNeil]

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/georgia-husband-and-wife-plead-guilty-stolen-identity-tax-refund-fraud-scheme-involving-irs

An Austell, Georgia husband and wife pleaded guilty today to charges
relating to their involvement in a stolen identity income tax refund fraud
scheme, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of
the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney John A. Horn of the
Northern District of Georgia.

Anthony Alika, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit
money laundering.  His wife Sonia Alika, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of
illegally structuring cash withdrawals to evade bank reporting
requirements.

“With the number of stolen identity refund fraud victims increasing at an
alarming rate, the Justice Department, working with the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) and its other federal, state and local law enforcement
partners, remains committed to investigating these abusive schemes and
criminal networks, prosecuting these offenders, and seeking lengthy prison
terms and monetary penalties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General
Ciraolo. “The guilty pleas of Anthony Alika, Sonia Alika and Rapheal
Atebefia in connection with their attempt to infiltrate and abuse the “Get
Transcript” database are yet another example of these continued efforts.
The investigation and successful prosecution of these defendants sends a
clear message to those individuals engaged in, or considering, this
criminal conduct that the Department will bring all available resources to
bear to hold them accountable.”

“The IRS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to
pursue identity thieves, and we continue to make important progress in
Georgia as well as elsewhere across the country,” said IRS Commissioner
John Koskinen. “The IRS is also continuing to strengthen its operations and
working with state revenue departments and the tax industry to provide
further protections for taxpayers against identity theft.”

“Criminals continually discover more sophisticated methods of stealing
personal information and unfortunately seek to capitalize on this theft by
filing phony tax returns demanding excessive refunds,” said U.S. Attorney
Horn.  “Because this is a growing problem, we are applying additional
resources to help stem the tide and protect both our personal information
and precious tax dollars.”

In January 2016, Anthony Alika and Sonia Alika were charged with laundering
the proceeds from a stolen identity refund fraud scheme.  The indictment
alleged that Anthony Alika, along with Rapheal Atebefia, 33, of Austell,
Georgia, obtained means of identification of actual individuals, including
their names and social security numbers, and used this information to
access the IRS “Get Transcript” database.  The indictment further alleged
that Anthony Alika, Atebefia, and others obtained prepaid debit cards from
stores located in multiple states, registered the cards in the names of the
stolen identities, filed false income tax returns using the stolen
identities and information obtained from the Get Transcript database, and
directed the IRS to deposit the tax refunds onto these cards.  To conceal
their fraud, Anthony Alika, Atebefia and others were alleged to have used
the prepaid debit cards to purchase money orders, which Anthony Alika,
Sonia Alika and Atebefia deposited into bank accounts and then structured
cash withdrawals of the proceeds in order to prevent the bank from filing
Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs).

As part of his guilty plea, Anthony Alika admitted that during 2015 he
received money orders from several individuals and deposited those money
orders into bank accounts in his name or had his wife deposit them into
bank accounts in her name.  Anthony Alika would then structure out cash
withdrawals from his bank accounts in amounts less than $10,000 to evade
the bank reporting requirements.  Anthony Alika admitted that the funds
used to purchase the money orders were the proceeds of illegal activity,
including the filing of fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities.
Sonia Alika admitted as part of her guilty plea that between February and
June 2015, she withdrew more than $250,000 from multiple bank accounts she
controlled in amounts less than $10,000 to prevent the bank from filing
CTRs.

U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. set sentencing for July 27.
Anthony Alika faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and
Sonia Alika faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  They
also face substantial monetary penalties, restitution and forfeiture.  In
March, Atebefia pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering for his
role in this scheme.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo and U.S. Attorney Horn commended
special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service, who investigated the case and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler
and Charles M. Edgar, Jr. of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney
Brian Pearce of the Northern District of Georgia, who are prosecuting this
case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts
may be found on the division’s website.
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