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Date: 07-21-2018

Case Style:

United States of America v. Wilson Lasset

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida - Miami, Florida

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Case Number: 0:14-cr-60142-KMW

Judge: Kathleen M. Williams

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami-Dade County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Jared M. Strauss

Defendant's Attorney: Pat Dray

Description: Miami, FL - Former Boca Raton Resident Sentenced to More than 5 Years in Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Scheme
A former Boca Raton resident, who purported to operate a tax preparation business in Pompano Beach, was sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for his involvement in a multi-million dollar stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael J. De Palma, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI), made the announcement.

Wilson Lasset, 48, formerly of Boca Raton, Florida, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A. Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Lasset to 42 months in prison on the wire fraud count of conviction, to be followed by a consecutive term of 24 months in prison for the crime of aggravated identity theft.

According to the record, including agreed upon stipulated facts filed in court, Lasset applied to the IRS for identification numbers, enabling him and the business he incorporated, Triangle International Training Center, to prepare and electronically file tax returns on behalf of other people. The business operated out of two addresses in Pompano Beach, Florida. In 2012, using these identification numbers, the defendant filed approximately 1,606 tax returns with the IRS. These tax returns included at least 25 returns filed using the names and social security numbers of individuals living with cerebral palsy who did not need to file tax returns and who did not authorize Lasset to file tax returns on their behalf. The unauthorized filings also included returns using the identities of approximately 386 incarcerated individuals. These returns, as well as the filings using the identities of the individuals with cerebral palsy, included falsely claimed earned income tax credits, based on false claims of earning income as “household help” employees, and falsely claimed education credits designed to reimburse college and other higher education expenses.

In total, Lasset’s identification numbers were used to claim more than $2.7 million in fraudulent tax refunds. The IRS paid approximately $788,611 in refunds based on these fraudulent tax returns. Approximately $51,000 was deducted directly from these refunds as preparer’s fees that were deposited into a bank account Lasset opened and controlled for Triangle International Training Center. Lasset used the money deposited into this account to fund his travel and other personal expenses.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI in connection with this matter.

Related court documents and information can 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.

Counts:

18:1343.F FRAUD BY WIRE
(1)
18:1343.F FRAUD BY WIRE
(2-5)
18:1028A.F AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT
(6)
18:1028A.F AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT
(7-10)

Outcome: 07/20/2018 117 FINAL AFTER SENTENCING Disclosure of REVISED Presentence Investigation Report of Wilson Lasset. This is a limited access document. Report access provided to attorneys Jared M. Strauss, Simon Patrick Dray by USPO (Attachments: # 1 Addendum, # 2 Rec Page Judge, # 3 Rec Page Attorney, # 4 Victims List)(dtn1) (Entered: 07/20/2018)

Defendant was sentenced to 42 months in prison, to be followed by a consecutive term of 24 months in prison for the crime of aggravated identity theft.

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Defendant's Experts:

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