Texas Man Convicted Of Conspiring To File False Tax Returns Using Stolen Identities

          CONCORD– A Grand Prairie, Texas man was found guilty today of conspiring to file false tax returns using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain tax refunds in the District of New Hampshire announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Scott W. Murray, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire. 

          According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2011 through 2014, Emmanuel Akoto, also known as “Kofi,” obtained the identities of other people and used them to file false tax returns with the IRS without the knowledge or consent of the identity theft victims.  These returns listed fake income and tax withholdings and sought fraudulent refunds, which Akoto and his co-conspirators had loaded on pre-paid debit cards.  The conspiracy involved others in Texas, California, Georgia, and Ghana.  During the course of the conspiracy, Akoto e-mailed an undercover agent from the United States Secret Service requesting to purchase identities to use in his scheme.

          Akoto was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe.  Akoto faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy and wire fraud charges.  He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.  He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. 

          Akoto’s co-defendant, Jeffrey Quaye, pleaded guilty in July 2018 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 5, 2019.

          “Identity theft crimes cause real harm to their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “When identity theft is coupled with tax fraud, the damage is compounded substantially.  In order to seek justice for crime victims, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit these serious crimes.”

          “Mr. Akoto and his co-conspirators purchased hundreds of stolen identities online, using different email addresses to execute their scheme,” said Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Boston Field Office.  “In turn, they used the identities to file false tax returns in the victims’ names, in an attempt to obtain bogus refunds.  IRS will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively pursue cyber-criminals who undermine the integrity of the U.S. tax system.”

          Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Murray thanked special agents from IRS–Criminal Investigation and the Secret Service, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Arnold Huftalen and Trial Attorney Sean Green, who tried the case.

###