Buffalo Man Sentenced on Fraud and Counterfeiting Charges

        BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that John Tally, 52, of Buffalo, N.Y., who was convicted of fraud and making counterfeit money, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, and ordered to pay over $35,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara.

      Assistant U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, who handled the case, stated that Tally was involved in a conspiracy with Emma Mills to create false W-2 forms. The forms were created by obtaining identification information from other persons. The fabricated W-2’s were submitted to the IRS with false tax returns, on which undeserved refunds and tax credits were claimed. In addition, Tally produced counterfeit twenty and fifty dollar bills.

      Emma Mills pleaded guilty to fraud in December 2013 and is scheduled for sentencing on April 14, 2014.   

      The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Toni M. Weirauch, and Special Agents of the United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Tracy Gast.