Jacksonville Men Charged In Tax Fraud Scheme

 Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Juan Miguel Ruiz and Roberto Bisono with conspiracy and theft of government property in connection with the cashing of numerous federal income tax refund checks that were issued on false and fraudulent tax returns.  The conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison, and each of the 17 theft counts carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The indictment also notifies Ruiz and Bisono that the United States intends to seek a money judgment of approximately $711,000, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

According to the indictment, between November 2011 and April 2012, Bisono obtained U.S. Treasury checks that were mailed to bogus taxpayers in New York, based on false and fraudulent tax returns. The indictment alleges that Bisono then furnished 111 such checks to Ruiz. The indictment further alleges that Ruiz, who operated a check cashing business on Beach Boulevard, deposited the checks into his business bank account in Jacksonville. Ruiz then took proceeds from the deposits by making cash withdrawals and by writing checks payable to cash. He also allegedly wrote checks to Bisono and other persons associated with Bisono.

On April 15, 2014, Bisono had an initial appearance and arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel B. Toomey and was released on bond.  On March 19, 2014, Ruiz made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge James R. Klindt and was released on bond. A trial has been scheduled for June 2014 before United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.  It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dale R. Campion.

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