Conspiracy Netted More Than $1.6 Million In Fraudulent Refunds

ATLANTA, GA - RAHMAN HILL, 43, of Mableton, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. after having been convicted of participating in a conspiracy that obtained more than $1.6 million by filing false income tax returns.

“The defendants in this case preyed on individuals in homeless shelters and jails to use their personal information to steal more than $1.6 million from American taxpayers by filing fraudulent income tax returns that claimed enormous refunds,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “Mr. Hill will now join several of his co-conspirators in serving substantial sentences in federal prison.”

“The defendant sentenced today stole the identities of some of the most vulnerable citizens of our society. He used these identities to obtain fraudulent income tax refunds. This is not only a financial loss to the U.S. Treasury, but it also causes great harm and hardship to the victims of the identity theft.  Identifying, investigating and vigorously prosecuting those individuals involved in these tax related identity theft schemes remains a top priority for IRS Criminal Investigation,” said Rodney E. Clarke, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “Anyone who believes that they may have been the victim of tax refund-related identity theft should contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialty Unit at 1-800-908-4490.”

HILL was sentenced to 8 years, 4 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.  HILL was also ordered to pay the IRS $1,660,152 in restitution. 

HILL is the fourth member of the conspiracy to be sentenced.  KELCEY PIERRE MILLER, 36, of Atlanta, was sentenced in July to serve six years and three months in federal prison.  PETER RAYMOND WILLIAMS, 42, of Newark, New Jersey, and KEITH LAMONE RICHARD, 40, of Decatur, were sentenced in September.  WILLIAMS was sentenced to prison for 5 years and 3 months, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  RICHARD was sentenced to probation for three years, with the first six months of that period to be served in home confinement.  MILLER, RICHARD and WILLIAMS were also sentenced to pay restitution to the IRS for the loss that their conspiracy caused.  A fifth co-defendant, JABBAR IVAN PENDER, a/k/a “James Earl Pender,” 40, of Newark, New Jersey, remains in federal custody on pending federal drug trafficking charges in New Jersey.

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: HILL was a co-leader of a conspiracy to file dozens of false tax returns. The conspirators obtained personal identifying information from people in homeless shelters, jails, and other locations, and MILLER used that information to file income tax returns with falsely inflated claims for refunds. The conspirators filed 123 returns between December 2005 and March 2007, and received $1,660,152 in refunds.  The false returns directed the IRS to deposit the refunds directly into bank accounts that the HILL and MILLER controlled.  HILL paid WILLIAMS to make ATM withdrawals and to launder checks through WILLIAMS’ checking account. The conspirators then drained those accounts with debit card purchases, ATM withdrawals and wire transfers. 

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney William G. Traynor prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact Sally Q. Yates, United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.

 

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