STOLE DEAD KIDS' IDENTITIES

Last week, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., hounced the indictment of JASON AHIALEY, 26, for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), New York State, and numerous Manhattan residents by fraudulently filing tax returns with his victims’ personal information and Social Security numbers, and directing the funds to accounts linked to debit cards possessed by the defendant. AHIALEY is charged in New York State Supreme Court with Grand Larceny in the Third and Fourth Degrees, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and multiple counts of Identity Theft in the First and Second Degrees.[1]

“Tax scams one cost American taxpayers more than $5 billion a year,” said District Attorney Vance. “The problem is compounded by the issue of identity theft, which represents a nightmare for victims whose information is often unknowingly used to commit a host of other financial crimes. In this case, the defendant is accused of stealing victims’ information, fraudulently filing taxes, and reaping the refunds of his victims, which included doctors and medical residents. Moving forward, I hope that law enforcement agencies and the IRS continue to work collaboratively to prevent cybercriminals and scam artists from taking advantage of ID theft victims and taxpayers.”

According to the indictment, between February and July 2013, AHIALEY electronically filed fraudulent tax returns on behalf of approximately 30 Manhattan residents and fellows who worked at or were employed by the New York University Langone Medical Center. Using stolen personal identifying information, the defendant used his victims’ names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers to prepare and file digital tax returns using H&R Block’s online tax preparation software. The returns, each of which amounted to thousands of dollars, were then wired to different accounts linked to debit cards obtained by AHIALEY.

Following further investigation by the DA’s Office, the defendant was also discovered to have fabricated work experience and wages, and used the Social Security numbers of other individuals, including deceased minors, to fraudulently file and collect returns.

Assistant District Attorney Beth Potashnick is handling the prosecution of the case, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Roper, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Brenda Fischer, Chief of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, and Executive Assistant District Attorney David Szuchman, Chief of the Investigation Division. Investigative Analyst Daniel Mueller of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, and Investigator Jamie Mercier-Blanchard and Deputy Chief Investigator Santiago Batista, of the Investigation Bureau, provided additional assistance with the case.

District Attorney Vance thanked New York University Langone Medical Center and H&R Block for their cooperation and assistance with the investigation.

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

Defendant Information:

JASON AHIALEY, D.O.B. 4/20/1988
Bronx, NY

Charged:

• Identity Theft in the First Degree, a class D felony, 4 counts
• Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 2 counts
• Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, 1 count
• Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree a class E felony, 1 count
• Identity Theft in the Second Degree, a class E felony, 32 counts