Tax Service Business Owner and Co-Defendant Pled Guilty for Their Participation in a Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

A tax service business owner and co-defendant pled guilty for their participation in a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme. 

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

Johny Wolf Jasmin, 32, of Boca Raton, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286, and one count of aggravated identity theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A and 2. Carneisha Patrice Mitchell, 31, of Miami, pled guilty to one count of theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 641 and 2. At sentencing, the defendants each face up to ten years in prison for the conspiracy and theft of government money charges. Jasmin also faces a mandatory term of two years’ imprisonment, consecutive to any other prison term, for the aggravated identity theft charge.

According to court documents, Jasmin owned and operated a tax service business called Wolf Vision, Inc. at an address located in Hollywood, Florida.  During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned three separate Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs) were used to file false and fraudulent tax returns from Jasmin’s business.  One of those EFINs was assigned to Mitchell.  Based upon this information, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jasmin’s business and recovered computers, thumb drives, prepaid debit cards, and numerous documents that contained over 2,100 names, dates of birth, and social security numbers that belonged to living and deceased individuals.

In fact, a review of Jasmin’s personal income tax for the 2014 tax year showed that Jasmin obtained the name, date of birth and social security number of a child who had passed away and later used that information to fraudulently claim the deceased child as one of his dependents. 

In addition, law enforcement learned that an IRS treasury tax refund check in the name of a deceased individual was deposited into Mitchell’s personal checking account.  Thereafter, Mitchell used the money from the IRS treasury check for her personal use. 

As a result of Jasmin and his co-conspirator’s fraudulent conduct, over 220 false and fraudulent federal income tax returns were filed with the IRS using stolen personal identifying information (PII) of living and deceased individuals.  Further, over $550,000 in tax refunds were sought from the false and fraudulent income tax returns filed from Jasmin’s tax business.

Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for June 3, 2016 before U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch.   

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of FBI, IRS-CI and ICE-HSI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurice A. Johnson.  

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.