Antioch Resident Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To File False Claims

OAKLAND – Khyber Law pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file false claims, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in January 2011, Law assisted in filing several tax returns with the IRS that were false and fraudulent. Law admitted that the tax returns were false because the filings included fictitious Forms W-2 that inflated the individuals’ wages. The filings included a tax return filed in Law’s name which falsely reported that he was employed at a staffing agency. In other instances, Law admitted to filing the false tax returns without ever showing the fraudulent tax return to the purported filer. Law helped file the false returns from his residence and from other places.

Law, of Antioch, was charged in a superseding indictment on Dec. 17, 2013. He was charged with conspiracy to file false claims, wire fraud, filing false claims and aggravated identity theft. Law pleaded guilty to conspiracy to file false claims and agreed to pay restitution related to this offense.

The maximum statutory penalty for each count of conspiracy to file false claim, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 286, is ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 22, 2014, before the Honorable Jon S. Tigar, United States District Court Judge in Oakland.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.

(Law indictment )