Federal agents arrested two men and charged them with conspiracy, theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft. The men are said to have received more than $1.5 million as a result of the scam.
Cordell Veonzal Jones (pictured, left), 51, and Craig Calhoun (pictured, right), 50, were both arrested. Calhoun was arrested in July on unrelated charges and Jones was arrested last Thursday.
According to the federal investigation, beginning in May 2011, until February 2013, Jones and Calhoun, along with others, are alleged to have obtained federal income tax funds fraudulently and converted them to their own use and the use of others. They reportedly used the personal information of other people without their knowledge to obtain the funds.
They are alleged to have opened more than 150 bank accounts with at least 20 financial institutions. “Bank records show that Jones and other co-conspirators caused the U. S. Treasury to release $1,615,227 in tax refunds to the accounts.”
Police said the two men, along with others, filed more than 500 IRS Forms 1040 for the years 2010 and 2011. They also recruited others from the street to file the tax forms.
Jones allegedly admitted that he was the ringleader of the scam and that he involved his best friend, his wife, daughter, son, sister-in-law, cousins, ex-girlfriend, Calhoun and another friend.
Jones was arrested on September 5th, and is currently being held at the Pinellas County Jail. Calhoun was arrested on July 14th, and charged with failing to report as a sex offender and giving a false name to law enforcement.
He is being held without bond at the Hillsborough County Jail.
