Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced the arrest of QYIIDIRAH WILLIAMS, a 23 year old Orange, New Jersey, on computer related theft and theft by deception related charges.
Authorities said, the arrest came about as a result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office (BCPO) White Collar Crimes Unit.
According to authorities, in April of 2015, members of the BCPO White Collar Crimes Unit were informed by detectives from the Oradell Police Department that they had received complaints of identity theft. It had been determined that the victims’ personal identifying information had been utilized to complete fraudulent US Federal tax returns using internet based tax filing and return software.
During the course of this ongoing investigation, BCPO White Collar Crimes Unit detectives tracked the fraudulent returns through the IRS documents to the internet based tax filing and return companies where the forms were submitted via computer.
The detectives identified the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses utilized by the perpetrators and determined that the activity was diverse and spread out among individuals involved in the illicit activity who were based throughout the United States.
In an effort to identify members of what appeared to be a loosely connected criminal organization, the BCPO detectives also traced the monies obtained as a result of any of the successfully completed fraudulent returns. Those monies are commonly issued as direct deposits to taxpayers’ accounts or as debit cards which are mailed to the taxpayer. In this case, some of the returns were sent through third party banks and tax groups which receive the return from the IRS in order to deduct any fees associated with the return before the money is forwarded to the taxpayer.
The completed return minus the fees is then wired or direct deposited to the receiving account which is identified by the taxpayer, or in this case the perpetrators of the fraud, by routing and account number during the internet based tax filing and return process.
Authorities said, as a result of this investigation, Williams was identified as the receiver of one of the fraudulently filed tax returns.
In March of 2015, authorities said Williams opened two bank accounts and then on March 25, 2015, her accounts each received a fraudulently obtained return. One account received a return of $3,900.69 which was the subject of the initial BCPO investigation and the other account received a return of $7,059.02.
The second return was ultimately identified as a fraudulently obtained tax return which was filed using the stolen personal identifying information of a victim from Virginia. On March 25, 2015, upon receipt of the returns, Ms. Williams withdrew the money from both accounts authorities said.
Further investigation has revealed that more than ten fraudulently filed returns were destined for Ms. Williams’ accounts. Only two of the returns were successfully deposited.
On February 12, 2016, a warrant was issued by the Bergen County Central Municipal Court for Qyiidirah Williams’ arrest.
Authorities said on February 19, 2016, Ms. WILLIAMS turned herself in to BCPO detectives.
Qyiidirah WILLIAMS was charged with two counts of violating N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2A / 2C:20-25C(3), Conspiracy to Commit Computer Related Theft, one count a 2nd degree crime and one count a 3rd degree crime, and two counts of violating N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4A, Theft by Deception, each a 3rd degree crime.
Williams was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of bail set at $50,000 with no 10% cash alternative by the Honorable Louis J. Dinice of the Bergen County Central Municipal Court.
Ms. Williams’ first appearance in Bergen County Central Municipal Court has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on February 22, 2016.
Acting Prosecutor Grewal states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.