ROCHESTER, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Aysha Humayun of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a fraud upon Intuit, Inc. through the use of the United States mail, and making false statements on tax returns before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci. The mail fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both, and the tax charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a fine if $250,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley E. Tyler, who is handling the case, stated that between Nov. 10, 2009, and June 10, 2011, Humayun, a/k/a Aysha Hussain, contacted Intuit, Inc., including by telephone, to place orders for free replacement software discs. The defendant falsely claimed that the software that had been previously purchased had been lost, stolen or damaged. As a result of the requests, Intuit, Inc. mailed free software discs to Humayun, and others, at addresses in Rochester and Gaithersburg, Maryland. After obtaining the free discs, the defendant advertised the software for sale eBay. Customers purchased the software and submitted payment electronically to the defendant via PayPal, a service facilitating online financial transactions.
Aysha Humayun was arrested along with her husband Humayun Farid. Charges are still pending against Farid. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
On Oct. 15, 2012, Humayun filed a federal income tax return for 2011 which falsely reported $42,159 in profit or loss from a business. However, in truth and in fact, and as the defendant knew, Humayun’s total income was greater than that reported on the return.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Shantelle P. Kitchen, Acting Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shelly Binkowski.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 6, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Geraci.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
