Broward County Clerk Sentenced To Three Years For Stealing Identities In Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field office, and Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announce the sentencing of Porscha Kyles, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, to three years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release and $57,328 in restitution. Kyles previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(b)(2), and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1).

According to court documents, from October 2011 through February 2012, Kyles worked as a clerk of court in Broward County. Kyles had access to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID) in this position. On multiple occasions in 2011 and 2012, Kyles searched DAVID, copied personal identity information (names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers) of individuals, and provided that information to a co-conspirator in exchange for a cash payment. Kyles provided over one hundred individuals’ personal identity information to the co-conspirator for the filing of fraudulent tax returns seeking refunds with the Internal Revenue Service.

Mr. Ferrer thanked the FBI and IRS-CI for their work on this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.