Bolarinwa Salau, a 30-year-old resident of Rockaway Beach, New York, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for identity theft. The sentencing took place in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Court documents and statements made during the proceedings revealed that Salau was stopped by the West Virginia State Police, who discovered identification documents belonging to other individuals in his vehicle. These documents were connected to a stolen identity refund fraud scheme (SIRF). This form of fraud uses stolen personal information, such as social security numbers, to file false tax returns with the aim of obtaining fraudulent refunds. Authorities stated that Salau attempted to file tax returns that could have resulted in nearly $1 million in refunds.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas. The investigation involved several agencies: the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations division, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the West Virginia State Police. The Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office also provided assistance.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided over the case.
