An Atlanta man was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison for filing bogus federal and state income tax returns worth nearly $870,000.
Frederick Roberts, 51, used stolen identities to submit tax returns in other people’s names and seek large refunds, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Roberts had all of the tax returns he filed sent to an address that he could access.
Upon receipt of the fraudulent refund checks, Roberts would use “unscrupulous” people to cash the checks, said Bob Page, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.
It is unclear how many victims were affected by Roberts’ scam or how he acquired their identities.
Prosecutors say Roberts sought more than $899,000 in refunds and received $866,436 between 2009 to 2011.
Roberts pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and mail fraud in March, according to court records.
“Identity thieves who file fraudulent tax returns rob from the public … and cause immeasurable damage to the innocent victims whose names were stolen,” Yates said in a statement.
Roberts was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He is also required to repay the full sum of the money he gained through his scheme, court officials said.
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