BREAKING NEWS:
‘NIGERIAN Man, KEVIN KUNLAY WILLIAMS VOTED illegally in America’s 2012, 2016 Elections’-Federal Bureau of Investigation
…Commits Felon of Firearm’s possession, Indicted in $12 Million Stolen Identity Refund FRAUD
* Guilty of Mail fraud, aggravated identity Theft, voter Fraud, illegal re-entry
* Used school employees’ identifications stolen from a payroll company to file more than 2,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns
* “Williams was deported in 1995 but allegedly returned illegally in 1999 and voted illegally in 2012 and 2016 elections”-Federal Grand Jury
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES
A 56 YEAOLD NIGERIAN MAN, Kevin Kunlay Williams aka Kunlay Sodipo, resident in St. Louis has been found guilty and indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, voter fraud, illegal re-entry and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Prosecutors reveal a Nigerian citizen living in St. Louis was part of a stolen identity fraud scheme that sought more than $12 million in refunds. A federal grand jury in St. Louis returned a superseding indictment few days ago.
Williams and others allegedly used public school employees’ identifications stolen from a payroll company to file more than 2,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns. Williams also allegedly used fraudulently obtained identification numbers to obtain refund checks. He was deported in 1995 but allegedly returned illegally in 1999 and voted illegally in 2012 and 2016 elections.
In a press statement released by The United States Department of Justice few weeks ago, it reads: “A Nigerian citizen, who resided in St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, voter fraud and illegally re-entering the United States after having been removed, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Carrie Costantin for the Eastern District of Missouri.”
Going by the documents filed with the court, ” Kevin Kunlay Williams aka Kunlay Sodipo, 56, and others stole public school employees’ IDs from a payroll company and used them to electronically file more than 2,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $12 million in refunds. He also stole several return preparer’s Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs) and used them to secure tax-related bank products and services that facilitated the issuance of tax refunds, to include blank check stock and debit cards. Williams used the blank stock to print checks funded by the fraudulent refunds and directed some of the refunds onto debit cards.
“Williams previously entered the United States from Nigeria under the name Kunlay Sodipo, but was deported in 1995. In 1999, Williams illegally returned to the United States from Nigeria using the last name Williams. In 2012, Williams registered to vote in federal, state and local elections by falsely claiming that he was a U.S. citizen and voted in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections.”
For his crimes, “Williams remains in federal custody and his sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 13 before Chief U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Williams faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for mail fraud, 10 years in prison for illegal reentry, five years in prison for each voter fraud count and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. Williams also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture and deportation.”
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Costantin commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as well as the Dothan, Alabama Police Department and Alexander City, Alabama Police Department, who investigated this case, and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler and Charles M. Edgar, Jr. of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Missouri and Middle District of Alabama.”
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 14, 2017
Nigerian Citizen Pleads Guilty In Missouri to $12 Million Tax Refund Fraud, Voter Fraud and Illegal Reentry
Stole Public School Employees’ IDs
A Nigerian citizen, who resided in St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, voter fraud and illegally re-entering the United States after having been removed, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Carrie Costantin for the Eastern District of Missouri.
According to documents filed with the court, Kevin Kunlay Williams aka Kunlay Sodipo, 56, and others stole public school employees’ IDs from a payroll company and used them to electronically file more than 2,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns seeking more than $12 million in refunds. He also stole several return preparer’s Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs) and used them to secure tax-related bank products and services that facilitated the issuance of tax refunds, to include blank check stock and debit cards. Williams used the blank stock to print checks funded by the fraudulent refunds and directed some of the refunds onto debit cards.
Williams previously entered the United States from Nigeria under the name Kunlay Sodipo, but was deported in 1995. In 1999, Williams illegally returned to the United States from Nigeria using the last name Williams. In 2012, Williams registered to vote in federal, state and local elections by falsely claiming that he was a U.S. citizen and voted in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections.
Williams remains in federal custody and his sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 13 before Chief U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Williams faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for mail fraud, 10 years in prison for illegal reentry, five years in prison for each voter fraud count and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. Williams also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture and deportation.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Costantin commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as well as the Dothan, Alabama Police Department and Alexander City, Alabama Police Department, who investigated this case, and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler and Charles M. Edgar, Jr. of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Missouri and Middle District of Alabama.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Topic(s):
Tax
Component(s):
Tax Division
USAO – Alabama, Middle
Press Release Number:
17-779
