Two sent to prison in stolen ID tax refund fraud scheme

Linus Davar Riggs, 32, and Nowell Joshua Cousin, 31, both of Houston, have been handed their sentences as a result of filing fraudulent tax returns using identification information that was either stolen or used without lawful authority, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

Riggs and Cousin pleaded guilty on March 17 and March 10, 2014, respectively, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to submit false claims to the U.S. Cousin was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt, who accepted the pleas, handed Riggs a total sentence of 57 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Cousin was sentenced Sept. 2, 2014, to 70 months in federal prison, also to be followed by a three-year-term of supervised release. Both were further ordered to pay $544,846 in restitution.

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