Delaware County Man Sentenced For Stealing Identities As Part Of A Tax Fraud Scheme

PHILADELPHIA - Reynaldo Estrada, 50, of Brookhaven, PA, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for stealing the identities of numerous patients of a local hospital as part of a tax fraud scheme. Estrada pleaded guilty on April 24, 2014 to one count each of conspiracy to commit identity theft, aggravated identity theft, and aiding and abetting the use of a false Social Security number.  In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg ordered three years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $409,779, and a $300 special assessment.

Between October 2010 and October 2011, while he was working for Crozer Chester Medical Center’s Environmental Services Department and at Community Hospital in Chester, Pennsylvania, Estrada stole scores of treatment authorization forms containing patients’ names, addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers.  Estrada admitted that he gave the forms to co-conspirators Rafael Henriquez Polanco and Yanira Lopez, who paid him for the stolen identities, knowing that Polanco and Lopez were using the forms as part of a tax fraud scheme.  Polanco and Lopez are charged in a separate indictment with using the identifying information provided by Estrada to prepare and file approximately 144 false and fraudulent federal individual income tax returns claiming bogus refunds in excess of $1.7 million.  Additionally, Polanco is separately charged by information with possessing both powder and crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.  Both Polanco and Lopez have pleaded guilty to all charges against them.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Brenner.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525