PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two Central Falls women were sentenced to 3 years in federal prison today for their roles in a long-running scheme to use the stolen identities of more than 400 individuals on fraudulent tax returns resulting in the theft of more than $2.6 million in fraudulent tax refunds.
Erika Tomasino, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith to 36 months in federal prison, having been convicted of one count of conspiracy, one count of theft of government property, three counts of mail fraud, three counts of money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft. Tomasino was also ordered to pay $1,817,431 in restitution. Tomasino was the bookkeeper and secretary of Juan Vasquez, 53, of Providence, a businessman and the mastermind behind the long-running scheme.
Doris Morel, 44, of Central Falls, a full-time cashier at the former Dominican Supermarket in Pawtucket, the hub of the scheme, was also sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison, having been convicted of one count of conspiracy, one count of theft of government property, four counts of money laundering and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Morel was ordered to pay $1,225,580 in restitution.
On September 27, 2016, a federal court jury convicted the two women after a two-week trial.
The sentences are announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Shelly A. Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Brian Deck, Resident Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service; and Pawtucket Police Chief Paul King.
In November 2016, Chief Judge William E. Smith sentenced Juan Vasquez to 6 years in federal prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release. Vasquez ran the scheme out of his business, the former Dominican Supermarket. Vasquez was ordered to pay
restitution to the IRS in the amount of $2,682,042.88. Vasquez pleaded guilty on August 19, 2016, to one count of conspiracy and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Also in November 2016, co-defendant Belkis Vasquez, 50, of Central Falls, was sentenced to serve 3 years probation, the first 8 months in home detention with GPS electronic monitoring, and was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. Belkis Vasquez was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $325,490. Belkis Vasquez pleaded guilty on August 17, 2016, to one count of conspiracy.
According to the government’s evidence, for nearly four years, beginning in January 2010, the defendants participated in a scheme in which they used stolen personal identifying information of more than 400 individuals, most of whom are residents of Puerto Rico, to file fraudulent tax returns. Fraudulent treasury checks were mailed to various locations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New York, and later deposited by the co-conspirators into 26 different bank accounts. The bank accounts were controlled by the co-conspirators or other individuals affiliated with the former Dominican Supermarket.
The government’s evidence showed that the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew the proceeds of the checks, caused others to withdraw some of the proceeds, transferred the proceeds between accounts, and spent the funds on personal expenses. Additionally, more than $235,000 of fraudulently obtained funds were transferred to a bank in the Dominican Republic.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pawtucket Police Department.
--DOJ District of Rhode Island