Two men from Southwest Georgia have pleaded guilty to charges related to a scheme involving fraudulent claims for New York State film industry tax credits, according to a June 4 announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes said, “We are committed to protecting taxpayers by ensuring that tax credits designed to create and maintain jobs are used lawfully. The Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division remains focused on combating fraud. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to prevent financial crimes and uphold the public’s trust.”
Thomas Clark, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office, said, “Financial fraud is far from a victimless crime. Schemes like this divert public resources, exploit stolen identities, and erode confidence in programs designed to benefit legitimate businesses and workers. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate those who believe they can profit through deception and hold them accountable for their actions.” Amanda Hiller, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, added, “Let this serve as a warning to any taxpayers considering lining their pockets for personal gain. The defendants repeatedly submitted fraudulent tax records attempting to steal funds that drive New York State’s creative economy.”
Ryan Rugg of Tifton pleaded guilty on July 22 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; he faces up to 30 years in prison followed by five years supervised release and a $250,000 fine, with sentencing set for Oct. 29 in Albany. Joshua Jordan, also of Tifton, previously pleaded guilty on March 26 both to conspiracy to commit wire fraud (maximum 30 years in prison) and aggravated identity theft (maximum two years consecutive), each carrying potential fines up to $250,000; his sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3.
According to court documents referenced during proceedings, an investigation began June 24 last year after suspicious returns were filed by multiple Georgia residents claiming New York film production credits without having worked or incurred costs in the state or industry—using online tax preparation software based in Missouri called Online Taxes. Investigators found that Jordan created an account with this software provider before he and Rugg helped file returns using others’ identifying information without authorization; one such return yielded nearly $50,000 paid out by New York after Jordan impersonated another individual when calling state authorities about the refund status.
In total, more than $550,000 was obtained or attempted through these filings as part of the conspiracy.
The case is presided over by U.S District Judge W. Louis Sands; there is no parole available under federal law system standards.
The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia serves approximately two million residents across seventy counties within central Georgia—including cities like Macon, Albany and Columbus—and prosecutes federal crimes such as drug trafficking while handling civil litigation on behalf of the United States across its jurisdictional area covering over twenty-five thousand square miles, according to the official website.