New Mexico Woman Pleads Guilty to Impersonating an IRS Agent in a Fraud Scheme Worth More Than $150,000
PECOS, N.M. — In Pecos, a community in San Miguel County, New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on November 9 that Sandra Vega, 48, pleaded guilty in federal court to impersonating an IRS agent in order to defraud a victim out of more than $150,000.
In her plea agreement, Vega admitted that between 2018 and March 2026, she posed as an Internal Revenue agent to defraud a victim identified as John Doe, convincing him that he would receive a large sum of money from the IRS if he first paid a variety of fees and deposits totaling at least $150,000. The victim gave Vega the money expecting her to transmit it to the IRS. Vega did not send any of the money to the IRS and instead spent it all on personal expenses.
Vega pleaded guilty to five counts, including four counts of wire fraud and one count of false impersonation of a federal employee. At sentencing, she faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution to the victim in an amount determined by the court.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and officials from IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国司法部总部大楼（GSM联邦固定图库）。 / Photo: U.S. Department of Justice headquarters (GSM federal asset library).
