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Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the IRS and NYS Tax Department During COVID

Summary

A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, dated Monday, March 25, 2024, announcing that Melanie Armstrong pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson to wire fraud involving national emergency benefits, filing false claims against a government agency, and transfer of a means of identification. According to the prosecutor, Armstrong falsely applied for New York State Department of Labor unemployment benefits under other people's identities and in Armstrong's own name, receiving $131,400.10, with a total intended loss of $250,916. The release states that Armstrong also filed 19 false federal income tax returns, producing refunds totaling $101,255, and 17 false state returns that yielded $18,758 in fraudulent refunds.

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“2024 03 27 Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty To Defrauding The IRS And Nys Tax Department During Covid Usao Wd Ny.” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2024-03-27-rochester-woman-pleads-guilty-to-defrauding-the-irs-and-nys-ba9eaf1997/, SHA-256 ae304701b7b77c566e23d4f7a29f62f951891d8216cedce1ed80ec65c78ea17c.

Full text

PRESS RELEASE



Rochester woman pleads guilty to
defrauding the IRS and NYS Tax
Department during COVID
Monday, March 25, 2024

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Melanie Armstrong,
55, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson to
wire fraud involving national emergency benefits, filing false claims against a
government agency, and transfer of a means of identification. The charges carry a
maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that
between July 2020, and August 2021, Armstrong falsely applied for New York State
Department of Labor unemployment benefits under the identities of others and
fraudulently collected benefits in their names. Armstrong also collected unemployment
benefits in her own name by falsely representing that she had no source of income.
Armstrong received $131,400.10 in benefits that she was not lawfully entitled to receive.
Armstrong also applied for, but did not receive, additional benefits, resulting in a total
intended loss of $250,916.

In addition, between January 2019, and April 2023, Armstrong filed 19 false income tax
returns with the Internal Revenue Service for herself, and family members and
associates, claiming false and inflated wages and false and inflated federal income tax
withholdings. As a result, the IRS issued tax refunds to Armstrong and the others
totaling $101,255. Between January 2020, and April 2023, Armstrong also filed 17 false
tax returns for herself, and family members and associates, with the New York State
Department of Taxation and Finance, claiming false and inflated wages and false and
inflated state income tax withholdings. Armstrong attempted to obtain $45,363 in
fraudulent refunds, but actually received $18,758 in fraudulent refunds.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of
Inspector General, under the direction of Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge,
Northeast Region, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, under the
direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso, and the New York State
Department of Taxation and Finance, under the direction of Acting Commissioner
Amanda Hiller.

Sentencing will be scheduled a later date.

                                         ####

Contact
Barbara Burns

716-843-5817

Updated March 25, 2024

Topic
FINANCIAL FRAUD


Component
USAO - New York, Western

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