Andrey C. Cook, 34, and Richard J. Beverly II, 25, both of Pensacola, were sentenced to federal prison today on charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Cook, who worked in a group home for disabled patients, stole the personal identification information of the patients and gave it to Beverly in August 2013 for use in filing fraudulent tax returns. In exchange, Beverly agreed to give Cook a percentage of the refunds that were issued as a result of the fraudulent tax returns. Between 2012 and 2014, Beverly used the stolen identities of deceased persons, severely disabled people, and others, in an attempt to steal more than $265,000 from the United States Treasury, through the filing of at least 40 fraudulent tax returns.
Cook was sentenced to 12 months in prison and Beverly was sentenced to 102 months in prison. Beverly was also ordered to pay $87,783.00 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Cook was ordered to pay $10,682.00 in restitution.
SOURCE: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida