Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Cashing
Fraudlent Tax Refund Checks

David Haigler, of Montgomery County, Ala., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama today to one count of theft of public funds and to one count of passing U.S. Treasury checks with forged endorsements, the Justice Department, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Secret Service announced today.

According to court documents, between November 2011 and July 2012, Haigler obtained 263 fraudulent U.S. Treasury refund checks and refund anticipation loan checks totaling $606,781.34. The refund checks were in the names of different individuals who had not authorized Haigler to cash them. Haigler cashed the refund checks at a store in Millbrook, Ala., by providing the store with copies of fictitious powers of attorney in the names of the individuals on the checks.
 
For his involvement in the scheme, Haigler faces a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in jail and a fine of up to $500,000.

Trial Attorneys Jason Poole and Michael Boteler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case. Special Agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation.