SAN FRANCISCO - Parnian Djafarzadeh, aka Parnian Clark, aka Saundra Djafarzadeh, pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail, filing a false claim, and committing wire fraud in connection with a multi-year tax fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter. The guilty pleas were accepted by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior United States District Judge.
According to the plea agreement, Djafarzadeh, 42, of San Anselmo, Calif., admitted she devised and executed a scheme to defraud the United States by filing false federal income tax returns with the IRS from 2010 through 2012. Djafarzadeh further admitted she wrongfully obtained personal identifying information, including names and social security numbers, of Marin County residents. She then used that information to prepare and electronically file false tax returns in their names without their knowledge or consent. In addition, according to the plea agreement, Djafarzadeh filed fraudulent federal income tax returns claiming a total of $219,635.89, as a result of which the IRS paid refunds of at least $90,822.30. Djafarzadeh also admitted in the plea agreement that she obtained and knowingly possessed stolen mail from one of her neighbors.
A federal grand jury indicted Djafarzadeh on April 21, 2016, charging her with one count of possession of stolen mail, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708; fourteen counts of false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287; three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. Djafarzadeh pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen mail, one count of filing a false claim, and one count of wire fraud. If she complies with the plea agreement, the remaining counts will be dismissed at sentencing.
Judge Breyer scheduled Djafarzadeh’s sentencing hearing for April 29, 2020. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Djafarzadeh has agreed to pay restitution of at least $90,952.48. The maximum statutory penalty for possession of stolen mail, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708, is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum sentence for false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 287, is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum sentence for wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, is twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Additional fines, forfeitures, restitution, and special assessments also may be imposed. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Moore is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
