A man who stole and laundered nearly $100,000 of government money received a prison sentence of a year and a day.
Marvin Lubin, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $110,299 in restitution to the federal government, according to U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz’s office. In April 2014, Lubin pleaded guilty to theft of government money. The sentencing took place in Boston Federal Court.
One of the couriers was Lubin’s sister, Emeline Lubine. In August, his sister, Emeline Lubin, pleaded guilty to stealing names and Social Security numbers from her then employer, Tufts Health Plan, and supplied the stolen information to Jean-Jacques for use in the scheme, according to Ortiz’s office.
Lubin and a Florida man, Sniders Jean-Jacques, recruited couriers to open bank accounts in the name of sham businesses in early 2013, according to Ortiz’s office. Social Security benefits and IRS tax refund payments obtained using stolen identities were then deposited to the accounts. The cash was immediately withdrawn by the couriers and delivered to the men.
Law enforcement agents obtained a search warrant for Lubin’s house in October 2013 and found evidence including a debit card associated with one of the sham business bank accounts and a list of 375 names with dates of birth and Social Security numbers, according to Ortiz’s office. Lubin admitted his role in the scheme to agents.
Five others have pleaded guilty in connection with this scheme, including Jean-Jacques; couriers Juanita Hall, Natalia Santana, and Shantelle Smith; and Emeline Lubin, Lubin’s sister.