Steven Ware, a 63-year-old from Yonkers, N.Y., apparently thought he’d hit the jackpot when he allegedly impersonated a Connecticut corporate executive to snag an $810,000 tax refund.
Unfortunately for him, the feds weren’t buying his act.
Ware’s grand plan involved opening bank accounts under the company’s name at a credit union in Tyngsborough, Mass.
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He then deposited a hefty U.S. Treasury check and, once it cleared, went on a bit of a shopping spree, hitting up retailers in New York, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts and then wired over $634,000 of the stolen funds.
But alas, all good things must come to an end. Ware was arrested yesterday and charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
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If convicted, he’s looking at a potential 30-year “all-expenses-paid” vacation courtesy of the federal government, plus a hefty fine. Guess he’ll have plenty of time to rethink his career choices.
The moral of the story? Identity theft is not a victimless crime, and it certainly doesn’t pay off in the long run. Stick to honest work, folks!
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