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Press Release

Middlesex County Woman Admits Role In Identity Theft-Tax Fraud Case

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County woman today admitted her role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a federal tax refund by filing a false claim with the IRS, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Patriciah Omari, 33, of Middlesex, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patty Shwartz in Newark federal court to a Superseding Information charging her with one count of aiding in the preparation and filing of a false income tax return.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

An unidentified person prepared and filed at least one false U.S. Individual Income Tax return, Form 1040, in the name of an individual with the initials “V.K.” The return included false information and documents about V.K.’s address, income, W-2 form, income tax purportedly withheld and claim for a refund. The fraudulent return claimed a $72,859 tax refund. In reality, V.K. was not entitled to the refund and did not authorize anyone to file a return.

Omari provided the unidentified person with the routing number and bank account information of an account held in Omari’s name. That information was provided with the false tax return, causing the IRS to deposit the refund check into Omari’s bank account. The money was then withdrawn and wired to an account in Kenya.

The count to which Omari pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum potential term of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2013.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents and investigators of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Mottola in Newark; IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen; and the inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Inspector in Charge Philip R. Bartlett, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacques Pierre and Barbara Llanes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Damian P. Conforti Esq., Newark

Omari Superseding Information

Updated August 20, 2015