San Antonio Man Sentenced To Federal Prison In Aggravated Identity Theft And Mail Fraud Scheme

In San Antonio today, 31-year-old Michael Floyd White was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $112,362 restitution for his role in an aggravated identity theft and mail fraud scheme announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman and Special Agent in Charge Steven McCullough, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, San Antonio Field Office.

By pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, White admitted that from January 2011 to February 2012, he and 30–year-old co-defendant Sasha Cher-Von Beckett knowingly devised a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by submitting fraudulent Income Tax returns seeking refunds totaling approximately $160,000.  Throughout the scheme, White and Beckett would use names, dates of birth and social security numbers of other individuals to electronically file numerous Income Tax returns, then collect the refunds by using the debit card option and having those debit cards mailed directly to them. 

Beckett awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to the one count each of mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and access device fraud.  She faces up to 20 years in federal prison for mail fraud and access device fraud.  She also faces a mandatory two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft.  Beckett is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30pm on October 22, 2014, before United States District Judge Xavier Rodriguez.

“IRS Criminal Investigation continues our emphasis on vigorously investigating refund fraud and identity theft.  This deliberate fraud can impede honest taxpayers from receiving their lawful refund and causes monetary loss to the U.S. Treasury.  Today’s sentencing of Mr. White should serve as a strong warning to those who are considering similar illegal conduct.  Those who engage in these fraudulent activities will be held accountable for their criminal actions,” stated IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven McCullough. 

This case was investigated by special agents with the IRS Criminal Investigation together with the San Antonio Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Tom Moore is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.