Atlanta man receives prison sentence for nationwide fraud schemes

Ryan K. Buchanan, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia

Thomas Addaquay, an Atlanta resident, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison after being convicted of 30 felonies connected to two extensive fraud schemes. These schemes involved tax refund fraud, business email compromise, and romance scams.

Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. commented on the case stating, "Addaquay’s fraud schemes impacted numerous victims across the country and resulted in millions in losses to the IRS and private citizens." He emphasized the role of federal and local law enforcement in securing Addaquay's prosecution.

Special Agent Demetrius Hardeman from the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office remarked on the impact of Addaquay's actions: "Addaquay’s criminal activities emotionally and financially harmed the lives of many innocent victims." The agency remains committed to pursuing justice against those involved in fraudulent financial activities.

Frederick D. Houston from the United States Secret Service highlighted their mission against such crimes: "Scammers like Addaquay enrich themselves by preying on innocent people with no care for the lasting damage they cause."

The court found Addaquay guilty of multiple charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering related to a stolen identity tax refund scheme. Between 2011 and 2016, he used stolen identities to file fraudulent tax returns resulting in over $4 million lost by the IRS.

In addition to tax fraud, Addaquay engaged in business email compromise and romance scams using false identities and manipulated email accounts. These actions led to over $3 million in losses for victims nationwide.

Addaquay was sentenced not only to imprisonment but also ordered to pay more than $7 million in restitution. His case was investigated by both IRS-Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service with assistance from Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Sekret T. Sneed and Angela Adams were responsible for prosecuting these cases.

For more information, contact can be made with the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. Further details are available on their website at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.