OAKLAND — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - California, Northern), published as received.

OAKLAND – Marcus Wilson was sentenced today to 30 months in prison and to pay $1,026,340 in restitution for filing false claims with the government, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Judge Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge.

Wilson, 32, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to the charge on January 31, 2019.  According to his plea agreement, Wilson admitted that during 2011 and 2012 he filed numerous false tax returns on behalf of others.  Wilson admitted he told people that they may qualify for “Obama Stimulus” or “Renter’s Rebates” if they had not filed any tax return in a given year.  In reliance on his representations, the individuals provided Wilson with information sufficient for him to file a tax return on their behalf.  Nevertheless, the individuals generally did not provide any financial or other tax-related information; instead, Wilson falsified information regarding the individuals’ wage and business income so he could obtain refunds from the IRS.  Wilson admitted he caused the IRS to fund over $1 million worth of refunds to numerous individuals for tax year 2011 by presenting tax returns he knew contained false information.

A federal grand jury indicted Wilson on January 17, 2017.  He was charged with one count of conspiracy to file false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 286; five counts of filing false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287; five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and five counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.  Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false claim and the remaining counts were dismissed.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Tigar ordered Wilson to serve a 36 month term of supervised release. Wilson will begin serving his prison term in July, 2019.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Rees and Meredith Osborn are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Bridget Kilkenny.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.