JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The alleged leader of an interstate tax fraud that encompassed at least five local tellers at VyStar CU on Friday was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in fraud that encompassed the theft of at least 185 identities and refund checks totaling almost $600,000.
The nationwide probe by the Justice Department, U.S. Secret Service and IRS dubbed “Operation Zig Zag” moved throughout four states, entailing the arrests of 17 individuals, including Lorenzo Jackson, the 30-year-old leader of the group sentenced Friday, the five VyStar tellers, a local hospital employee and a Citibank card processing worker.
The victims targeted were people who would not normally file tax returns and therefore would not know if someone was filing for them, including children, the elderly and even the deceased.
The investigation began when Vystar CU began noticing irregularities involving IRS refund checks, specifically that multiple checks were being deposited to single accounts, and that the people who were supposedly depositing those checks did not live in Jacksonville. Authorities said the refund checks were worth $7,500 on average.
Jackson was responsible for selling stolen identities he obtained from another suspect. The stolen identities were used to open up credit cards, utility accounts, and the filing of fraudulent income tax returns in the victims’ names.
The five tellers were paid $1,000 to help deposit tax refunds in accounts set up by the ringleader.
