United States Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña
Northern District of Texas

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS DELAWARE WOMAN OF
CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MAIL FRAUD AND WIRE FRAUD

Defendant Defrauded United States Treasury of more than $3 Million

DALLAS, Texas — Following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, a federal jury has convicted Lorna Moseti, 26, resident of Clayton, Delaware, on one count charged in a superceding indictment returned in September 2011, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Specifically, the jury convicted Moseti on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Moseti has been in federal custody since her arrest in Virginia in December 2010. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2012.

The government presented evidence at trial that, between 2007 and 2010, Moseti conspired with others to obtain tax refunds through the submission of multiple fraudulent tax returns containing false information regarding employment and income level. Moseti and the other conspirators obtained identifying information of incarcerated individuals and submitted false tax returns using the inmates’ social security numbers and variations of their names, prepared and submitted false Forms W-2 Wage and Tax Statements claiming fictitious wage and withholding amounts, prepared and submitted false Schedule C (Profit or Loss From Business-Sole Proprietorship) to show a substantial business loss to offset the falsely claimed wages which resulted in a refund of most of the purported withholding. These false returns were either electronically filed or mailed with the Internal Revenue Service requesting that the refunds be either electronically deposited or mailed to bank accounts or addresses controlled by Moseti and the other conspirators.
Evidence presented showed that once the funds were deposited into the controlled bank accounts, Moseti and the other conspirators would transfer all or part of the false refunds to other conspirators either by mail or wire transfers to various locations including other countries such as Kenya, United Arab Emirates, and Italy. On some occasions, Moseti and the other conspirators would use the false refunds for their own personal benefit.
The conspiracy count carries a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution could also be ordered.

The case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Department of Treasury, Office of the Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service and Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Stokes and Steve Jumes are in charge of the prosecution.

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