Ex-VA Employee Gets Prison in Identity Theft Case

A former Veterans Affairs employee from Fayetteville has been sentenced in federal court to 11 years in prison for stealing the identities of disabled veterans and using them to commit income tax fraud, the U.S. Attorney Office announced on Monday.

In addition, the defendant, 48-year-old Michael Ray Woods, was sentenced Friday to three years of probation following his prison term, plus was ordered to pay $464,000 in restitution.

Senior U.S. District Judge James C. Fox imposed the sentence in Wilmington.

Woods was convicted of the crimes in a trial in February.

In a news release, the U.S. Attorney Office said Woods had two jobs and he used them to foster his scam.

In his second job, said the prosecution, Woods operated a tax-preparation business.

Woods stole personal identifying information from the veterans and used it to create fraudulent tax returns for his tax clients, the news release says.

On client tax returns, Woods listed the disabled veterans as dependents of the clients.

This allowed clients to lower their tax bills -- and increase their tax refunds -- and collect payment in the form of earned income tax credits.

Woods made false statements to credit education and business expenses, according to the office, which has helped its customers reduce their tax bill.

In this scheme, Woods has made money through the redemption fees to its customers and demanding $ 500 in payments from clients who have used the dummy load.

In 2007, Woods was filing over 800 returns per year and making automatic cost more than $ 150,000, the release further said.

"This sentence is a significant deterrent to such crimes," U.S. Attorney Thomas G. said Walker. "Here, a government employee, with responsibilities to our country's veterans, essentially was preying upon them and victimizing them and the U.S. Government by preparing fraudulent tax returns. This sentence is an appropriate response to the crime.

Social Security Appeal Attorney Nc - News


NCSU research info on Wilson students mistakenly put online

It also set up systems for parents to contact NC State officials by phone at 919-515-5912 or email at ced_info@ncsu.edu. At the time of the research study, a small number of North Carolina school systems still used Social Security numbers as student



Appeals court rules for employer in undocumented worker case

Sierra Chemical Co. involves a seasonal production-line worker who used a counterfeit Social Security card with another person's Social Security number to obtain work from Sierra intermittently over three years. In March 2006, Mr. Salas injured his



Ex-VA Employee Gets Prison in Identity Theft Case

In that role, he transferred patient data from VA hospitals in North Carolina and Virginia to a data warehouse in Richmond, Va. This gave him access to private information such as names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers of disabled veterans.



Five plead guilty in fraud tax refund scheme

They are accused of using stolen identity information – including names and Social Security numbers – from people in Puerto Rico to prepare fraudulent tax returns. “Based on information contained in court filings and court records, the defendants



Seniors Cautioned About Social Security Phone Calls
Seniors Cautioned About Social Security Phone Calls

Greensboro, NC -- The Attorney General's office said someone is targeting seniors, who are nervous about receiving their social security checks. There have been multiple reports of senior citizens receiving phone calls from people who tell them they




Columbia Automobile Accident Attorney | W. Hugh McAngus, Jr ...

For legal help with auto accident cases, speak with Columbia automobile accident attorney W. Hugh McAngus, Jr.

Email Address: hmcangus@csa-law.com | Phone: 888.513.6908

Areas of Practice

Automobile accidents Tractor-trailer accidents Products liability General litigation Social Security Disability

Admitted to Practice

2006, South Carolina 2007, North Carolina and U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina

Membership

South Carolina Bar North Carolina State Bar South Carolina Association for Justice (Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Section Chair) American Association for Justice North Carolina Advocates for Justice AIEG Association of Plaintiffs Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America Interstate Trucking Litigation Group

Education

University of South Carolina School of Law , J.D., magna cum laude, 2006 University of South Carolina, B.A., magna cum laude, 2001

Chappell, Smith & Arden, P.A.


Social Security Appeal Attorney Nc - Bookshelf

Social Security Disability Insurance, Participation Trends and Their Fiscal Implications

Social Security Disability Insurance, Participation Trends and Their Fiscal Implications

DI benefits, like all Social Security benefits, are tied to a worker's past ... Second, applicants are likely to have retained a lawyer for the appeal, ...

North Carolina State Bar quarterly, official publication of the North Carolina State Bar

North Carolina State Bar quarterly, official publication of the North Carolina State Bar

... formerly associated with the North Carolina Attorney General's Office, and the US Social Security Administration, Office of Hearings and Appeals, ...

ABA Journal

ABA Journal

Lawsuits challenging the action have been filed in New York by the New York Social Security Bar Association and in North Carolina by a private attorney. ...

West's federal reporter, cases argued and determined in the United States courts of appeals and Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals

West's federal reporter, cases argued and determined in the United States courts of appeals and Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals

Social Security and Public Welfare <3=»143.65 In the context of a claim for social ... Joseph L. Brinkley, Assistant United States Attorney, Charlotte, NC, ...

ABA Journal

ABA Journal

Mr. Oliver, the Committee Chairman, moved the adoption of the resolution reaffirming the Association's opposition to social security for lawyers. ...

Casual Knowledge Directory


Social Security Disability Lawyers | Raleigh-Durham ...
NC social security disability attorneys can explain your case. - 910.892.8177 - Raleigh, ... Obtaining a good social security appeal lawyer and filing an immediate request for ...

Greenville Social Security Disability Lawyer | Greenville ...
Greenville Social Security lawyer helping North Carolina residents with their appeals for Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability benefits. ...

Charlotte Social Security Disability Lawyers | North Carolina ...
... Goodson, P.C. handles Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Products Liability, Social Security, and Workers' ...

North Carolina Disability Lawyer: NC Disability Attorney
Learn how to win disability benefits with the help of a North Carolina disability attorney. Ask a Winston-Salem disability lawyer about SSDI today.

Raleigh Social Security Disability Attorney | Social Security ...
North Carolina Social Security Attorney. Social Security Disability Help in Raleigh, New Bern, Greenville, Winston-Salem, Jacksonville and Kinston ...