Four men thought they were on the verge of a massive payday, but their scheme to cash a U.S. Treasury tax refund check worth nearly $28 million ended abruptly in a South Florida restaurant and not with a deposit slip.
Carlos Manuel Villaneuva, 37, of Hialeah, Florida, along with Eric Renard Bedford, 44, and John Ryan Boxie, 43, both of Houston, and Jorge Cruz Garcia, 30, of Katy, Texas, were arrested on November 10 after allegedly attempting to cash a tax refund check totaling a stunning $27,910,676.69. The check was intended for a business in Richmond, Virginia.
According to a criminal complaint, the elaborate plot began when Villanueva, who allegedly had access to the check, reached out to a man he believed could help him cash the government funds—a man he referred to as “Banker.”
Unbeknownst to Villanueva, the “Banker” was actually an undercover agent with the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s office.
Villanueva allegedly presented the agent with photographic proof of the massive check and claimed he needed help cashing it because the company it belonged to was closed and the check was about to expire.
He even boasted of his potential cut: a cool $5.6 million if the plan succeeded, and hinted at access to more large checks.
The four face one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of theft of government property.
READ: Deported Multiple Times, Man Lands Back In Jail After Punching Co-Worker In Lakeland
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
