YAHIA ASAD, age 48, of Tallahassee, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury today and charged in a one-count indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to court documents, from January 2010 through March 2012, ASAD and others (known and unknown) perpetrated a tax fraud scheme which involved filing false tax returns using the stolen identities of deceased or imprisoned persons, using inflated and erroneous financial information, causing a much larger refund than would be allowed legitimately which resulted in a significant loss to the government.

ASAD had been previously charged by a criminal complaint, was arrested and appeared before a United States Magistrate in New Orleans on March 1, 2012. U. S. Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan set cash or property bond of $100,000, which has not yet been perfected by ASAD.

If convicted, ASAD faces a maximum term of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and a $500,000.00 fine.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracey N. Knight and Joseph LaRocca.

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