An Atlanta man has received a twelve and a half year prison sentence following a conviction for his role in multiple nationwide fraud schemes that involved identity theft, tax refund fraud, and romance scams, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Thomas Addaquay, 50, was also ordered to three years of supervised release and to pay over $7 million in restitution to his victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. described the extent of Addaquay's criminal activities, noting that the defendant's schemes impacted numerous victims and resulted in significant monetary losses. Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation's Atlanta Field Office highlighted the emotional and financial harm suffered by the innocent victims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office detailed Addaquay's operation, which utilized stolen identities to prepare and file fraudulent tax returns from 2011 through at least 2016. The result was the issuance of thousands of illegitimate tax refund checks, with the IRS sustaining losses topping $4 million.
Besides the tax fraud, Addaquay was deeply involved in business email compromise and romance scams, defrauding victims by using falsified identities and hacked email accounts to mislead and engender trust. His schemes prompted victims to channel funds into his accounts, culminating in over $3 million in losses, as reported by the Northern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney's Office. Upon sentencing, Addaquay pleaded guilty to structuring the proceeds of these schemes.
The joint investigative efforts by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service, along with the assistance from the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, were instrumental in the capture and sentencing of Addaquay. Assistant United States Attorneys Sekret T. Sneed and Angela Adams led the prosecution of the cases. For further information, the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office can be reached at their email address or phone number provided in their official press release.
