Miami Resident Sentenced in Identity Theft Tax Fraud Scheme Involving Thousands of Deceased and Other Individuals’ Personal Identifying Information

A Miami resident was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in an identity theft tax fraud scheme involving thousands of deceased and other individuals’ personal identifying information (PII).       

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Neil Melofchik, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and J. Scott Dennis, Chief, North Miami Beach Police Department (NMBPD), made the announcement.

Yovaris Pardo, 40, of Miami, previously pled guilty to one count of possessing a counterfeit access device, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(1), one count of possessing fifteen or more unauthorized access devices with the intent to defraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3), and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title l8, United States Codes Section 1028A.

According to court documents, on April 22, 2013, Pardo knowingly used a counterfeit credit card to purchase tires at a Pep Boys Store in North Miami, Florida. Pardo knew that the credit card was counterfeit and acted with the intent to defraud.  On July l0, 2013, law enforcement encountered Pardo and executed a search warrant for the contents of her vehicle in Miami-Dade County. In her vehicle, Pardo had numerous counterfeit credit cards, counterfeit driver's licenses, social security cards belonging to other individuals, debit cards also in the names of other individuals that contained fraudulent tax refunds, numerous tax documents, printouts of death record search results (containing names, dates of birth, and social security numbers for deceased people), and notebooks containing handwritten identities (names, dates of birth, social security numbers).   Pardo knowingly possessed the approximately 1,320 unauthorized access devices (i.e. debit card numbers, credit card numbers, social security numbers) that were found in her vehicle.  Pardo did not have permission or authority to possess or use the PII belonging to the other individuals.

In addition, a forensic examination of Pardo's laptop that was found in the trunk of her vehicle revealed approximately 4,095 death record search results (containing names, dates of birth, and social security numbers for deceased people) and 48 additional credit card numbers.  The laptop also contained pictures of credit card skimmers, embossing machines, and credit card readers, as well as software to make fraudulent credit cards, and subscriptions to fraud programs.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the USSS, IRS-CI and NMBPD.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Snyder.

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 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 www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.