Chula Vista Woman Admits Stealing More Than $164,000 From IRS

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Wasserman (619) 546-8431

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 9, 2016

SAN DIEGO – Cecilia Hernandez pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing more than $164,000 from the Internal Revenue Service – despite owing the agency for back taxes that she had failed to pay.

Hernandez admitted that she sent the IRS more than a half million dollars in worthless checks written on closed accounts.  The checks were ostensibly intended to pay off a tax debt which Hernandez owed from previous years.  The checks (written in 2011 and 2013) were for amounts far greater than the tax debt and triggered a series of fraudulent refunds.  In all, Hernandez wrote more than $525,000 in bad checks to the IRS, which resulted in her obtaining over $164,000 in the form of fraudulent refunds.  Among other things, Hernandez spent her illicit proceeds on a $33,000 Chrysler 300 and an extravagant Quinceañera for her daughter costing more than $40,000. 

As part of her plea, Hernandez agreed to restitution of the funds stolen from the IRS.  Hernandez will appear for sentencing on June 14, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia.

DEFENDANT:                                             Case Number 16CR247-AJB

Cecilia Hernandez                                           Age: 46                                   Chula Vista, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Title 18, United States Code, Section 641-Theft of United States’ Money

AGENCIES

Internal Revenue Service