Two San Fernando Valley brothers have been found guilty by a jury of obtaining federal tax income refunds amounting to several hundred thousand dollars, which was then laundered through United Kingdom bank accounts, the Justice Department announced on Thursday, June 29.
Woodland Hills residents Victor Ohiri, 55, and Stephen Danielson-Ohiri, 54, have both been found guilty of one count of conspiracy and 10 counts of theft of government property. Each brother will face a maximum sentence of just over 115 years in prison and 60 years, respectively.
During the brothers’ jury trial, investigators unveiled evidence that from March 2014 to March 2015, the brothers worked with other U.S. residents to use American bank accounts to obtain federal income tax refunds.
The group then filed nearly 20 fraudulent federal income tax returns using stolen identities, using fake documents such as made-up W-2 forms to file the returns, which amounted up to $10,000. All told, around $340,000 was deposited into accounts owned by the brothers. Investigators seized $181,000 from one of Stephen Ohiri’s accounts — and that was just one tax refund.
The brothers’ next court date is a sentencing hearing in October.