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November 26, 2019

IRS Employee Charged in Connection with Misusing Victim Identities to Commit Credit Card Fraud

On October 2, 2019, in the Eastern District of Virginia, Kwashie Senam Zilevu was charged via criminal complaint with access device fraud. Zilevu was subsequently arrested by special agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) on October 3, 2019.

According to the criminal complaint, Zilevu is currently employed as an Information Technology Specialist with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Between January 2016 and February 2018, Zilevu knowingly, and without authorization, used the names, addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security Numbers of at least three victims to obtain fraudulent credit cards. For example, one victim’s personally identifiable information (PII) was used to open an American Express credit card account on which $49,000 in fraudulent charges were made. Among the purchases were an airline ticket for travel from Washington, DC, to Miami, Florida, and a hotel reservation, both in Zilevu’s name.

A second victim’s PII was used to open a U.S. Bank and Trust credit card. Bank statements revealed that a total of $10,273.39 in completed transactions and $2,651.62 in attempted transactions were made using this card. Included in the purchases was an airline ticket in Zilevu’s name from Dulles, Virginia, to Montego Bay, Jamaica. A third victim’s PII was used to open a U.S. Bank and Trust credit card, which was mailed to Zilevu’s address. A total of $9,641.69 in fraudulent charges were made using the third victim’s card. An official review of Zilevu’s IRS e-mail account further revealed that Zilevu received an e-mail message from PayPal congratulating the third victim for setting up his or her account and instructing the victim to click a link in order to confirm the accuracy of his or her e-mail address. Zilevu received a subsequent e-mail message at his IRS e-mail account from PayPal advising the third victim that he or she was officially a PayPal member. When interviewed, each of the victims confirmed that the fraudulent credit cards were opened in their names, and that Zilevu did not have permission or authority to use their information to apply for the cards.

This investigation was worked jointly by special agents from TIGTA and the United States Postal Inspection Service. If convicted, Zilevu could face a fine and up to 15 years’ imprisonment.

Source:  The facts in this case narrative come from the following publicly available documents: E.D. Va. Crim. complaint filed Oct 2, 2019; and E.D. Va. Executed Arrest Warrant Filed Oct. 3, 2019.