Two Defendants Sentenced for Identity Theft Fraud Scheme Involving $144,170 Tax Refund Check

Two defendants sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams for an identity theft fraud scheme involving a $144,170 tax refund check.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Ronald J. Verrochio, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, made the announcement.

On August 19, 2015, Eve Mary Jean, 30, of Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  On July 17, 2015, co-defendant James Medard, a/k/a “James Joseph,” 40, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $144,170.

Each of the defendants previously pled guilty to one count of theft of government property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 641 and 2, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections l 028A(a)(1) and 2.

According to court documents, the defendants stole a United States Department of Treasury tax refund check in the amount of $144,170 that was in the names of two identity theft victims. Jean opened a checking account in the names of the victims, and Medard deposited the check into the account by forging the victims’ names on the back of the check. The victims did not know Medard or Jean, and did not authorize the defendants to possess or deposit the check.

Court documents state that Jean withdrew $110,000 from the fraudulent bank account by making a check payable to Destiny Real Estate Investment, a company owned by Medard. Jean and Medard then deposited the check into Destiny Real Estate Investment’s bank account. Jean issued two other checks to Medard in the amounts of $9,200 and $15,000 from the bank account that she had set up in the names of the victims.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI and the USPIS. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John R. Byrne.

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.