Tampa Man Sentenced To More Than Ten Years For Tax Fraud Scheme

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Edwaldo Louis Oliveiri to 10 years and 11 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.  As part of his sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $307,721, the proceeds obtained from the scheme. Oliveiri pleaded guilty on June 24, 2014.

According to court documents, between September 4, 2012, and September 11, 2013, Oliveiri sold marijuana and guns to an undercover officer on multiple occasions.  He believed that the undercover officer worked for the Veterans Affairs hospital and solicited the officer for personal identifying information from the hospital to use as part of a tax fraud scheme.  Between January 23, 2013, and September 9, 2013, Oliveiri participated in a tax fraud scheme that submitted 437 false and fraudulent tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service seeking a total of $3,511,702, and resulting in the IRS paying out $307,721.

“Today’s sentencing is the result of a successful joint law enforcement investigation to hold accountable those who use stolen veterans’ personally identifiable information to engage in identity theft,” said Special Agent in Charge Monty Stokes of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General - Southeast Field Office.

This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service; the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Bini and Sara Sweeney.