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TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Acting Criminal Justice Director Deborah
Gramiccioni announced that a Pennsylvania
man was indicted today on charges he stole
$44,569 from the State of New Jersey by
filing fraudulent state tax returns.
According
to Gramiccioni, William P. Marsh, 41, of
Bensalem, Pa., was charged in a state grand
jury indictment with theft by deception
and money laundering, both in the third
degree.
It
is alleged that Marsh filed 24 fraudulent
New Jersey gross income tax returns between
February 2002 and March 2006. He allegedly
received 14 refund checks from the Division
of Taxation totaling $43,557 and 11 homestead
rebate checks totaling $1,012. He allegedly
cashed the checks at various independent
check cashing agencies.
The
fraudulent returns were uncovered through
an audit by the Division of Taxation. The
returns were suspicious because they all
listed taxpayers with similar names –
typically variations on the defendant’s
name such as Will P. Marsh, Will H. Marsh
etc. – and listed one of two post
office boxes rented by Marsh in West New
York as the mailing address. The tax returns
were all hand written and appeared to have
been signed by the same person. The employers
listed on the W-2s filed with the returns
were non-existent or never filed wage reports
with the state.
“Through
its vigilant auditing, the Division of Taxation
regularly brings us investigations of this
type,” said Attorney General Milgram.
“We will continue to work with the
Division of Taxation to prosecute these
crimes, which impose a cost on all honest
New Jersey taxpayers.”
“This
is an example of our efforts to be vigilant
when it comes to enforcing our tax laws,”
said Director Maureen Adams of the Division
of Taxation. “We will continue to
do all that we can to ensure that taxpayers
file appropriately and that refunds are
delivered only to those who legitimately
are entitled to receive them.”
Attorney
General Milgram credited Auditor Debra Lewaine
of the Division of Taxation Office of Criminal
Investigation for leading the investigation.
Deputy Attorney General Denise Grugan presented
the case to the state grand jury.
Third-degree
crimes carry a maximum sentence of five
years in state prison and a criminal fine
of $15,000. The indictment was handed up
to Superior Court Judge Charles A. Delehey
in Mercer County, where Marsh will be ordered
to appear in court at a later date.
The
charges are merely accusations and the defendant
is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A
copy of the indictment is linked to this
release at www.njpublicsafety.com.
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