Former Tucson resident April Escobedo, 43, of Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $255,189 in restitution to the United States Treasury. Escobedo also previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Daughters, Cassandra Grijalva and Rachel Grijalva, both of Tucson, previously plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. They were sentenced to five and three years’ probation respectively.
Between January 2010 and June 2013, Escobedo filed approximately 265 false federal income tax returns claiming refunds in the amount of approximately $472,351. As a result, the United States Treasury issued false income tax refunds in the total amount of approximately $255,189.
In order to obtain the false tax refunds, Escobedo used the names and social security numbers of other individuals along with false wages and withholding on the false income tax returns she filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Escobedo obtained the names and social security numbers by various means, including:
1) offering to pay some people a portion of the false income tax refund obtained with their personal information;
2) using the names and social security numbers from employment applications of individuals who applied to work for Escobedo’s boyfriend;
3) obtaining names and social security numbers of others from her daughters. Escobedo deposited portions of the fraudulent proceeds in her bank account and she directed her daughters to open bank accounts to distribute other false tax refunds.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Jane L. Westby, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
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