(WNY News Now) – A Philadelphia man is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly attempting to steal over $1 million in an elaborate tax refund scheme, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office announced.
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced charges against a man accused of attempting to defraud the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue of more than $1 million by making online deposits to his income tax account using stolen bank account information.
Those deposits prompted six income tax refund checks to be generated, totalling just over $1 million. Kaahir Teagle was successful in cashing four of those six checks for a total of $13,030.65.
Teagle, 22, is charged with numerous felonies, including theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, identity theft, and access device fraud. Teagle was arraigned on these charges and bail was set at $100,000.
According to an investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General’s Financial Crime Section, Teagle made several electronic fund transfers to his online tax account — credits from accounts in which he stole the owner’s account information.
”This defendant is not only accused of stealing bank account information from unsuspecting individuals, but also trying to defraud the state income tax system, which puts all tax-paying Pennsylvanians at risk,” Attorney General Henry said. “Fortunately, only a small percentage of these fraudulent transactions were paid out and financial losses were minimized.”
As part of the investigation, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue flagged Teagle’s 2021 tax return as fraudulent. Further review showed Teagle submitted 33 fraudulent electronic fund transfer payments as credits in his online tax account between May and July 2022.
The case will be prosecuted by the Senior Deputy Attorney General Helen Park. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.HARRISBURG – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced charges against a man accused of attempting to defraud the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue of more than $1 million by making online deposits to his income tax account using stolen bank account information.
Those deposits prompted six income tax refund checks to be generated, totalling just over $1 million. Kaahir Teagle was successful in cashing four of those six checks for a total of $13,030.65.
Teagle, 22, is charged with numerous felonies, including theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, identity theft, and access device fraud. Teagle was arraigned on these charges and bail was set at $100,000.
According to an investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General’s Financial Crime Section, Teagle made several electronic fund transfers to his online tax account — credits from accounts in which he stole the owner’s account information.
”This defendant is not only accused of stealing bank account information from unsuspecting individuals, but also trying to defraud the state income tax system, which puts all tax-paying Pennsylvanians at risk,” Attorney General Henry said. “Fortunately, only a small percentage of these fraudulent transactions were paid out and financial losses were minimized.”
As part of the investigation, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue flagged Teagle’s 2021 tax return as fraudulent. Further review showed Teagle submitted 33 fraudulent electronic fund transfer payments as credits in his online tax account between May and July 2022.
The case will be prosecuted by the Senior Deputy Attorney General Helen Park. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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