A Brooklyn man has been sentenced in federal court for his involvement in an international wire fraud scheme that used stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns seeking over $35 million in refunds. Xerxes Shevar, 57, received a sentence of three years probation and was ordered to pay $290,000 in restitution following his conviction for wire fraud conspiracy, as announced by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter delivered the sentence on July 10, 2025. According to court information, Shevar was part of a conspiracy involving co-defendants from the United States, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ireland. The group submitted fraudulent federal tax returns using stolen identities. They opened bank accounts with these identities to collect the fraudulently obtained tax refunds. The conspirators exchanged stolen identity information via email and other communication methods.
Shevar's indictment alleges that from 2010 to 2013, the conspirators sought approximately $38 million in fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS, which resulted in at least $10 million being paid out in fraudulent refunds. It is also alleged that about 3,493 bank accounts were opened with stolen identities across roughly 443 financial institutions and that around 4,563 credit cards were obtained using these identities. Approximately 11,468 individuals are reported to have been victimized.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation for their work leading to Shevar's prosecution.
