FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
July 15, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN SCHEME TO FILE FALSE TAX RETURNS ON BEHALF OF STATE PRISONERS
Fraudulent Tax Scheme Resulted in Loss of $365,599
Baltimore, Maryland - Giacumo Marzano, age 67, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States and to aggravated identity theft, in connection with a scheme to file false income tax returns on behalf of inmates from the Maryland Department of Corrections and other prisons, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to the plea agreement, Marzano had contact with inmates who were housed with the Maryland state authorities. Marzano sent the inmates blank federal tax returns and they mailed back the completed forms, containing false information. Marzano mailed the fraudulent tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service and received the fraudulent tax refund checks as part of the scheme. He worked with other co-conspirators to mail, receive and deposit tax refunds obtained through the scheme. Marzano opened a special post office box in the alias of DeeCarlo and many of the refund checks were mailed to that address. Although the entire tax loss associated with this scheme was $365,599.41, the loss attributable to Marzano’s participation was approximately $200,000.
In addition to the tax fraud scheme, Marzano used and produced false social security cards, Maryland driver’s licenses and fraudulent credit cards in the name of an individual who is currently residing in a medical facility, without that person’s knowledge. Marzano also used another person’s social security number. He used the name and social security number to open bank accounts and credit cards in the name of the individual whose identity he had stolen and deposited money from the tax fraud into those fraudulent bank accounts.
Marzano faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge William M. Nickerson has scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorney Kwame J. Manley, who is prosecuting the case.