Stamford Woman Sentenced To Two Years In Federal Prison For Role In Tax Fraud And Identity Theft Scheme

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DAMARIS PERALTA, 45, of Stamford, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for her involvement in a tax fraud and identity theft scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between October and December 2010, PERALTA, Hector Medina and others were involved in a conspiracy through which they obtained at least 35 U.S. Treasury income tax refund checks by filing fraudulent tax returns, with false W-2 forms attached, on behalf of citizens of Puerto Rico without their knowledge or consent.  As part of the scheme, Matilde Fabian-Pichardo used her position as a bank teller in Stamford to cash the fraudulent checks presented to her by Medina and others by using the legitimate accounts of bank customers.  Medina kept the majority of the proceeds of the scheme and paid PERALTA and others for their assistance.

This scheme resulted in a loss of approximately $185,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.  In addition, members of the conspiracy cashed fraudulently obtained state tax refund checks from New York and North Carolina, resulting in an additional loss of approximately $13,000.

PERALTA was ordered to pay, jointly and severally with her co-defendants, restitution in the amount of $198,425.57.

PERALTA has been detained since May 23, 2012.  On October 24, 2012, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Medina and Fabian-Pichardo also have pleaded guilty.  On October 2, 2012, Medina was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment.  Fabian-Pichardo awaits sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Greenwich Police Department, Stamford Police Department and the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas Morabito and Ndidi Moses.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov