Check Casher Sentenced to Jail for Involvement in Fraudulent Tax Refund Scheme | WPN World People News

David Haigler of Montgomery County, Ala., was sentenced to serve 37 months in federal prison for his involvement in a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme, Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division, U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Haigler was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $606,781. Haigler previously pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama on Sept. 6, 2013.

According to court documents, between November 2011 and July 2012, Haigler obtained 263 fraudulent U.S. Treasury refund checks and Refund Anticipation Loan checks totaling $606,781. The refund checks were in the names of different individuals and those individuals did not authorize Haigler to cash the checks. Haigler obtained fictitious powers of attorney in the names of the individuals on the checks, which purportedly appointed Haigler to handle financial affairs, including the cashing of checks. Haigler cashed all of the fraudulent refund checks at a store in Millbrook, Ala., and provided the store with copies of the ficticious powers of attorney. Haigler retained a portion of the checks and provided the remainder to the individuals who brought him the fraudulent checks.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice