Tax refund thief sentenced to 30 months
A Bronx man was sentenced today
to 30 months in prison for his role in a
scheme to obtain and ultimately cash
more than $1 million in fraudulent income
tax refund checks issued by the
United States, U.S. Attorney Craig
Carpenito announced.
Wellington Feliz, 36, previously
pleaded guilty before U.S. District
Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to two
counts of an indictment charging him
with theft of government property and
aggravated identity theft. Judge Arleo
imposed the sentence today in Newark
federal court.
According to documents fi led in this
case and statements made in court:
Stolen Identity Refund Fraud
schemes generally share a number of
hallmarks. Perpetrators obtain personal
identifying information, including
Social Security numbers and dates
of birth, from unwitting individuals,
who often reside in the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico. They complete
IRS-1040 tax return forms using the
fraudulently obtained information and
falsifying wages earned, taxes withheld
and other data, always ensuring
that fraudulent tax return generates a
refund. The perpetrators then direct
the U.S. Treasury Department to mail
the refund checks to locations they
control or can access. In some cases,
they bribe mail carriers to remove the
refund checks from their mail routes.
With the fraudulently obtained refund
checks in hand, the perpetrators generate
checks into bank accounts they control.
that he knew that the approximately
180 tax refund checks that he and others
to him or the company named on the
bank account. He admitted to personally
accounts and profi ting from his role
in the scheme. He also admitted that
he knew that the checks were issued
by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury, and
that it was illegal to deposit the tax refund
his own benefi t. Feliz admitted that he
and his conspirators deposited over $1
million in fraudulently obtained income
six co-defendants, Luis Pena, Lourdes
Ortiz, Raymundo Hernandez, Isaias
Hernandez and Gloria Rivera of the
Bronx and Fausto Bernard of Newark,
NJ, in a criminal complaint alleging
conspiracy to commit theft of government
that caused more than $2.6 million
in losses to the United States government.
COMMUNITY
CHIROPRATIC
Kenneth P. Gonoud D.C.
cash proceeds by depositing the
At his plea hearing, Feliz admitted
deposited into bank accounts under
his direct control did not belong
withdrawing funds from these
checks and use the proceeds for
tax refund checks into bank accounts
controlled by him.
Feliz was initially charged with
funds, relating to a SIRF scheme
of Throggs Neck
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N 42 OVEMBER 15-21, 2019 BTR
Feliz and Isaias Hernandez were
later charged by indictment with conspiracy
to commit theft of government
funds, theft of government funds, and
aggravated identity theft. After being
charged by complaint, Feliz violated
the terms of his pretrial release conditions
and fl ed to the Dominican Republic.
In April 2019, Feliz was extradited
to the District of New Jersey.
All six co-defendants have pleaded
guilty to and have been sentenced for
their roles in the scheme. One additional
conspirator, Angel Fernandez
of Newark, has also pleaded guilty to
charges regarding his participation in
the conspiracy. All have been ordered
to pay restitution to victims and forfeiture
to the United States.
In addition to the prison term,
Judge Arleo sentenced Feliz to three
years of supervised release.
Defense counsel: Laurie M. Fierro
Esq., Kinnelon, New Jersey
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