ID Theft-Tax Fraud Sweep Nets Charges Against 45

Federal authorities in South Florida say a weeklong sweep targeting identity theft-tax fraud crime has resulted in charges against 45 people in 30 separate cases.

Miami U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer says the cases were investigated by the South Florida Identity Theft Tax Fraud Strike Force. That unit includes federal agencies as well as state and local law enforcement.

Ferrer says those charged were responsible for at least 22,000 stolen or compromised identities. Many were insiders that used jobs at places such as health care providers, restaurants, schools and prisons to gain access to the identities.

The identities were used in attempts to claim more than $38 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Of that amount, about $11.5 million was actually paid out in these latest cases.