Former bank teller sentenced to 18 months in check cashing fraud scheme

A former SunTrust Bank teller was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday for cashing about 361 fraudulently obtained tax refund checks totaling $780,760.17, acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division said.

Vicky Wheeler, 55, of Columbus, also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Clay D. Land to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution for the amount of funds obtained fraudulently.

Ciraolo said the prosecution of stolen identity refund crimes remains a top priority of the Justice Department. “These cases are not limited to those individuals who file fictitious tax returns,” she said. “We will vigorously pursue participants at all levels of these schemes, including those who steal identities and those who, like Ms. Wheeler, assist in cashing the refund checks that result from the fraud.”

Between February 2013 and May 2014, court documents show that Wheeler was a bank teller in Columbus. She was approached by several co-conspirators who wanted her to cash fraudulently obtained tax refund checks in exchange for a fee. Wheeler was told the checks were generated from returns filed using stolen identities.

Wheeler made false entries on the face of the checks to make it appear as if she received identification when the checks were cashed but never received any forms of identification. About 361 fraudulent tax refund checks were received and cashed by Wheeler, including U.S. Treasury checks and tax refund checks from financial institutions that $780.160.17 in tax refunds.

Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot, special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, sa stolen identity refund fraud results in major loss of revenue to the United States Government.

“Vicky Wheeler abused her position of trust and allowed greed and deceit to fuel criminal behavior,” she said. “ Today she is being held accountable for her actions. Her prison sentence and restitution order should send a message that refund fraud, greed, and deceit does not payoff in the end.”

Ciraolo and acting U.S. Attorney G.F. Peterman recognized special agents of IRS-CI and the U.S. Secret Service, who investigated the case and Trial Attorney Michael C. Boteler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford L. Seals of the Middle District of Georgia, who prosecuted the case.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Former bank teller sentenced to 18 months in check cashing fraud scheme."