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Massena woman sentenced for hornswoggling IRS of $200,000

Posted 5/22/15

MASSENA -- A Massena woman will spend two years in federal prison for her role in a federal income tax grift, according to U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian. Lacey Jane Hollinger, 27, was sentenced on …

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Massena woman sentenced for hornswoggling IRS of $200,000

Posted

MASSENA -- A Massena woman will spend two years in federal prison for her role in a federal income tax grift, according to U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian.

Lacey Jane Hollinger, 27, was sentenced on Wednesday in connection with her convictions for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. The case involved false federal income tax returns that resulted in the theft of over $200,000.00 from the Internal Revenue Service, Hartunian said.

She was sentenced by United States District Court Judge David N. Hurd to serve 24 months incarceration for aggravated identity theft and a consecutive term of one year and one day for mail fraud.

She was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release following her release from prison and ordered to make $212,317 restitution to the IRS.

Hollinger was sentenced for her part of the fraud scheme, which took place in 2011 and 2012. She contacted Massena area residents via Facebook and other electronic media to tell them they were eligible for a tax refund as part of a U.S. Government stimulus program. No such program existed, Hartunian said.

Several dozen responded, providing personal identification. This information was then used to create fraudulent tax returns generating over $200,000 in tax refunds. Hollinger stole these funds after they were electronically deposited in bank accounts she controlled in Arizona, according to Hartunian.

Co-defendant Elaine Monique Zavalas-Charres will be sentenced on June 10, Hartunian said.