United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced the sentencing of FRANTZ PIERRE, 36, for orchestrating a multi-million dollar tax fraud scheme and engaging in money laundering. PIERRE, who pleaded guilty on October 27, 2015 to counts one and two of the indictment, was sentenced on June 9, 2016 before U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn.
"Today's announcement regarding the 210 month sentencing of Frantz Pierre exemplifies IRS Special Agents' intense focus and rigorous pursuit of identity theft and refund fraud crimes," said Shea Jones, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, St. Paul Field Office. “Individuals such as Frantz Pierre who commit refund fraud and identity theft of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
According documents filed in court, from July 2010 through May 2011, PIERRE was the leader and organizer of a scheme to steal from the federal government by filling hundreds of fraudulent income tax returns. PIERRE and his co-conspirators used stolen social security numbers and other personal identifiers as well as fabricated employment and income information to complete hundreds of income tax returns and to claim millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds.
According to documents filed in court, as part of the scheme, PIERRE and his co-conspirators would establish fictitious tax preparation businesses and then open multiple bank accounts in the names of the fictitious businesses. In addition, PIERRE directed the IRS to deposit the fraudulently obtained income tax refunds into the bank accounts set up by the defendant and his co-conspirators. In total, PIERRE and his co-conspirators submitted approximately 776 fraudulent tax returns to the IRS, resulting in $5,249,935 in tax refunds to be deposited into the fictitious companies’ bank accounts.
As part of his sentence, PIERRE was ordered to forfeit his house in Parkland, Florida and pay $906,556 in restitution.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Thompson and Lola Velazquez-Aguilu.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation Division.
Defendant Information:
FRANTZ PIERRE, 36
Parkland, FL
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to Defraud the Government, 1 count
- Money Laundering, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 210 months in prison
- $906,556 in restitution
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600