August 31, 2017

A federal grand jury in Las Vegas, Nevada returned an indictment charging three individuals with stealing more than $1 million in refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The indictment charges Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh with conspiring to file fraudulent claims for tax refunds and theft of government funds. Chanh V. According to the indictment, Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh were residents of Las Vegas, who allegedly conspired to file federal corporate and individual income tax returns reporting fake income and income tax withholdings and as a result, obtained more than $1 million in refunds to which they were not entitled. The indictment alleges that the fraudulent returns were filed in the names of the defendants and others, including a long-deceased family member and fictitious businesses. Months after filing a fraudulent return, the defendants would allegedly file a fraudulent amended return requesting an additional refund. The indictment alleges that Chanh V. Trinh prepared and filed the returns, and that all three defendants deposited or cashed the fraudulently obtained refund checks using multiple bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and check-cashing businesses in Las Vegas. The indictment alleges that the defendants frequently concealed the funds by purchasing cashier’s checks to obtain gambling chips at casinos. DOJ

Tagged in: Tax Fraud,