SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - A 27-year-old northern New York woman has been sentenced for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft for her role in a federal tax return scam.
Lacey Jane Hollinger of Massena was sentenced Friday in federal court in Syracuse to two years in prison and a consecutive term of one year and one day. She also has to pay restitution of $212,317 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Authorities say Hollinger contacted people in northern New York on Facebook and through other electronic media, telling them they were eligible for a tax refund that didn’t exist.
Dozens of people provided sensitive personal information, and that information was used to generate fraudulent tax returns totaling more than $200,000.
Hollinger stole the funds after they were electronically deposited in bank accounts she controlled.
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