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Press Release

Cedar Rapids Woman Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft, Stealing from the Government, and Lying to Receive Housing Assistance

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa

A woman who unlawfully used another person’s identity to file a fraudulent tax return and steal money from the government pled guilty last week in federal court in Cedar Rapids.  She also pled guilty to lying to a government agency in order to receive housing assistance benefits.

Kaeisha Robinson, 39, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of theft of government property, and one count of making false statements to a government agency. 

 In a plea agreement, Robinson admitted that from May 2011 to February 2013, she filed numerous false and fraudulent tax returns.  She further admitted that she filed these returns in both her own name and the names of others, some of whom were unaware that she was using their identities to file fraudulent returns.  Robinson also admitted that as a result of these fraudulent returns, she received refunds from the Internal Revenue Service and stole money from the government.  Finally, Robinson admitted that from October 2011 through July 2013, she lied on forms she completed in order to receive Section 8 housing assistance by failing to report all of her income.  This resulted in Robinson’s receipt of assistance to which she would not have been entitled had she been truthful.

“Investigating refund fraud and identity theft is a priority for IRS Criminal Investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Karl Stiften.  “Stealing identities and filing false tax returns is a crime that hurts innocent taxpayers.  We are serious about holding those accountable who attempt to defraud the government.”

“This office will continue to work with the IRS to vigorously prosecute those who steal innocent people’s identities in order to file a false tax return and steal money,” said United States Attorney Kevin W. Techau.  “These crimes cause harm to the person whose identity is stolen and harm to the U.S. taxpayer.  Those who commit such crimes need to be held accountable.”   

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Robinson remains in custody of the United States Marshal.  Robinson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of seventeen years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $300 in special assessments, and seven years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General. 

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/.  The case file number is 15-CR-0071.

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Updated September 14, 2016

Topic
Identity Theft