South Florida Resident Pleads Guilty in Identity Theft Scheme Involving the Cashing of Over $140,000 from Altered Tax Refund Checks

A South Florida resident pled guilty for his involvement in an identity theft scheme involving the cashing of over $140,000 in altered tax refund checks.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Brian Swain, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

Contreas Faison, 44, pled guilty to one count of theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. As part of his plea agreement, Faison agreed to restitution in the amount of $140,000.

According to court documents, in 2013 and 2014, Faison obtained U.S. Treasury tax refund checks that had been fraudulently altered so that the taxpayer's name did not appear on the check. Instead, the check contained the name of the defendant's company or the name of another bank account holder. Faison deposited these checks into bank accounts in his name or in the name of other people, and then Faison used the proceeds for his own benefit. In total, the defendant cashed over $140,000 from fifteen different altered U.S. Treasury tax refund checks that were stolen or otherwise fraudulently obtained.

Faison is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2016 before United States District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga.  At sentencing, the defendant faces up to ten years in prison.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI and the USSS.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vanessa S. Snyder.

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.