Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia
Thomas Addaquay, an Atlanta resident, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison after being convicted of 30 felonies related to fraud schemes. These schemes involved tax refund fraud, business email compromise, and romance scams that impacted victims nationwide.
“Addaquay’s fraud schemes impacted numerous victims across the country and resulted in millions in losses to the IRS and private citizens,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. He emphasized the role of federal and local law enforcement partners in securing Addaquay's prosecution.
Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman from the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office remarked on the harm caused by Addaquay's activities: “Addaquay’s criminal activities emotionally and financially harmed the lives of many innocent victims.” He reaffirmed the commitment to bring perpetrators of fraudulent financial schemes to justice.
Frederick D. Houston, Special Agent in Charge at the United States Secret Service Atlanta Field Office, commented on the broader implications: “Scammers like Addaquay enrich themselves by preying on innocent people with no care for the lasting damage they cause.” He highlighted their mission to protect financial systems from exploitation.
The court found Addaquay guilty of multiple offenses including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. His stolen identity tax refund scheme alone resulted in a loss exceeding $4 million to the IRS between 2011 and 2016.
Additionally, through business email compromise and romance scams involving false identities and hacked emails, victims lost over $3 million. Addaquay pleaded guilty to structuring these proceeds.
At age 50, Thomas Addaquay was sentenced not only to imprisonment but also ordered to pay more than $7 million in restitution. Following his prison term, he will undergo three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service with assistance from Cobb County Sheriff's Office. The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Sekret T. Sneed and Angela Adams.
For further information regarding this case or other inquiries, contact can be made with the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office via email at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or phone at (404) 581-6280. More details are available on their website: http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
