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Press Release

Miami Resident Pleads Guilty in Stolen Identity Tax Fraud Scheme

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida

A Miami resident pled guilty for his participation in a stolen identity tax fraud scheme.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Delany De-Leon Colon, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, made the announcement.

Ronel Junior Lamour, 25, pled guilty to one count of possession of fifteen or more counterfeit access devices, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3), and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A(a)(1) and 2. At sentencing, Lamour faces a maximum statutory sentence of ten years in prison for the access device charge, and a mandatory term of two years’ imprisonment, consecutive to any other prison term, for the aggravated identity theft charge.

According to court documents, in 2013, Lamour used names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers of other people to file 2012 tax returns. As part of the scheme, Lamour set up bank accounts using unauthorized debit cards in the names of the filers and had the refunds wired into the accounts.

Court documents state that Lamour also fraudulently used debit card account numbers, issued to other persons, to purchase United States Postal Service (USPS) money orders.  On two separate occasions, Lamour deposited these USPS money orders into a bank account.

Federal law enforcement conducted an electronic search of Lamour’s cell phone pursuant to a warrant. The phone contained copies of passports, driver’s licenses and Social Security cards of over fifty (50) individuals. This information was forwarded to the IRS Scheme Development Center and twenty-five (25) of those individuals were found to have had false 2012 tax returns filed in their names.   

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and the USPIS.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Joshua S. Rothstein.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Updated February 4, 2016

Topics
Identity Theft
Tax