Woman Indicted for Visa Fraud, Tax Fraud, and Identity Theft

A federal grand jury indicted Karen Kimble, aka Karen Kimble-Mamah and Karen Mamah, 38, of Owings Mills, Md., on charges of wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return, aiding in the filing of a false tax return, aggravated identity theft and visa fraud.

The indictment was returned Jan. 24 and Kimble had her initial appearance Jan. 28 in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan K. Gauvey.

The 21-count indictment alleges that from February 2008 through at least April 2012, Kimble, who falsely held herself out to others as a "certified tax preparer," conducted a tax fraud scheme by submitting fraudulent tax returns for clients. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Kimble falsely inflated credits and deductions and clients' tax returns, as well as on her own tax returns, in order to fraudulently increase the tax refund. Kimble provided her clients with a tax return that did not reflect the false deductions and credits, nor did she inform them of the fraudulent deductions and credits. Kimble filed the fraudulent returns without her clients' knowledge or permission, using their personal identifiable information.

Kimble directed that the tax refunds be mailed or directly deposited with all of the refund sent to Kimble, or with some of the refund sent to the taxpayer and some to Kimble. The indictment alleges that Kimble received a total of more than $221,000 in fraudulent federal tax refunds, none of which she reported as income on her own tax returns. The indictment seeks forfeiture in the amount of $221,698, alleged to be the proceeds of the scheme.

The indictment also alleges that on Feb. 14, 2008, Kimble married a Ghanian citizen, knowing that the marriage was not valid because the Ghanian was not legally divorced from his first wife.

Kimball faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of six counts of wire fraud, three years in prison for each of five counts of subscribing to a false tax return and for each of five counts of aiding in the filing of a false tax return, a mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for each of four counts of aggravated identity theft and 10 years in prison for visa fraud.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Baltimore District Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Nothstein.

54 Month Sentence for Mexican National Who Trafficked Stolen Identities of Puerto Rican U.S. Citizens

A Mexican national was sentenced Monday, November 26, 2012, to 54 months in prison for trafficking the identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and corresponding identity documents, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodríguez-Vélez for the District of Puerto Rico; Director John Morton of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Postal Inspector Guy J. Cottrell of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Director Scott P. Bultrowicz of the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chief Richard Weber.

Jose Sergio Garcia-Ramirez, 37, formerly of Rockford, Ill., was sentenced Nov. 26 by U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí, in the District of Puerto Rico. Judge Gelpí also ordered Garcia-Ramirez to forfeit $35,900 in proceeds and ordered the removal of Garcia-Ramirez from the United States after the completion of his sentence.

On July 17, Garcia-Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit identification fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin in the District of Puerto Rico.

Garcia-Ramirez was charged in a superseding indictment returned March 22 by a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico. To date, 53 individuals have been charged for their roles in the identity trafficking scheme; 18 defendants have pleaded guilty.

Court documents allege that individuals located in the Savarona area of Caguas, Puerto Rico (Savarona suppliers), obtained Puerto Rican identities and corresponding identity documents. Other conspirators located in various cities throughout the United States (identity brokers) allegedly solicited customers and sold Social Security cards and corresponding Puerto Rico birth certificates for prices ranging from $700 to $2,500 per set.

The superseding indictment alleges that identity brokers ordered the identity documents from Savarona suppliers, on behalf of the customers, by making coded telephone calls. The conspirators are charged with using text messages, money transfer services and express, priority or regular U.S. mail to complete their illicit transactions.

Court documents allege that some identity brokers assumed a Puerto Rican identity themselves and used that identity in connection with the trafficking operation. Their customers allegedly generally obtained the identity documents to assume the identity of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and to obtain additional identification documents, such as legitimate state driver's licenses. Some customers allegedly obtained the documents to commit financial fraud and attempted to obtain a U.S. passport.

According to court documents, various identity brokers were operating in the following locations: Rockford, Ill.; DeKalb, Ill.; Aurora, Ill.; Seymour, Ind.; Columbus, Ind.; Indianapolis; Hartford, Conn.; Clewiston, Fla.; Lilburn, Ga.; Norcross, Ga.; Salisbury, Md.; Columbus, Ohio; Fairfield, Ohio; Dorchester, Mass.; Lawrence, Mass.; Salem, Mass.; Worcester, Mass.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Nebraska City, Neb.; Elizabeth, N.J.; Burlington, N.C.; Hickory, N.C.; Hazelton, Pa.; Philadelphia; Houston; Abingdon, Va.; Albertville, Ala.; and Providence, R.I.

Garcia-Ramirez admitted that he was an identity broker in the conspiracy, operating in Illinois. Garcia-Ramirez is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in this case.

The charges are the result of Operation Island Express, an ongoing, nationally-coordinated investigation led by HSI Chicago and USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices in Chicago, in coordination with HSI San Juan. The following agencies provided substantial assistance: Illinois Secretary of State Police; Elgin (Ill.) Police Department; Seymour (Ind.) Police Department; and Indiana State Police. The HSI Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center, as well as various ICE, USPIS, DSS and IRS-CI offices around the country, also provided invaluable assistance.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James S. Yoon, Hope S. Olds, Courtney B. Schaefer and Christina Giffin of the Justice Department Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, with the assistance of Acting Deputy Chief Jeannette Gunderson of the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and the support of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Attorney's Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, District of Connecticut, District of Massachusetts, District of Nebraska, Middle District of North Carolina, Southern District of Ohio and Western District of Virginia provided substantial assistance.

Passport Fraud and Identity Theft - Domingo Antonio Batista Florian Convicted

Miami, FL
December 15, 2009

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney
Southern District of Florida

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and James M. Foster, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”), announced that defendant Domingo Antonio Batista Florian, 42, was convicted by a jury yesterday of all counts arising from his false application to obtain a U.S. passport. U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2010 at 1:30 p.m.

More specifically, Batista Florian was convicted of three separate counts arising from his October 3, 2006, application for a U.S. Passport at a U.S. Post Office in Miami. The Indictment charged him with passport fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542; impersonation of a U.S. Citizen, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 911; and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18,United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1).

The evidence and testimony at trial showed that Batista Florian submitted a Puerto Rican birth certificate as proof of citizenship, and a Florida Driver’s License as proof of identity, both in the name of a person whose identity had been stolen. Batista Florian used these identifications to support his application for a U.S. passport. Batista Florian also obtained social security cards and Florida identification cards in the name of another person whose identity had been stolen. Batista Florian used these false identifications and assumed the other person’s identity for three and a half years, until his passport application was questioned and investigated in 2007.

Mr. Sloman commended the collaborative investigative work of DSS, and the U.S. Passport Agency at the Department of State. Mr. Sloman also commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, for its substantial assistance in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Katz and William D.A. Zerhouni.