Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Elderly Identity Theft & Tax Fraud

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By Ciara Perez, News Reporter | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC)

Published May 10th, 2024

Baltimore, MD — In a significant development in the fight against identity theft and financial fraud, 33-year-old Dolapo Lawal of Baltimore has pleaded guilty to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges stem from his involvement in a complex tax refund fraud scheme targeting elderly individuals, as announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Field Office.

Lawal’s guilty plea on May 8, 2024, revealed his systematic exploitation of elderly victims’ identities to secure fraudulent tax refunds, which he then loaded onto debit cards. The illicit funds were withdrawn as cash after these cards were mailed to secure addresses across the United States.

The scheme came to light following a traffic stop by the Baltimore County Police Department on April 8, 2022, when officers discovered $18,900 in cash and 24 Green Dot Bank debit cards under the seat of Lawal’s Mercedes S-class sedan. Lawal admitted the cash and cards were his, with subsequent investigations showing he used the cards for over 300 ATM withdrawals, netting more than $80,000 in one month. These funds were used to maintain his lifestyle, including payments on his Mercedes and personal credit cards.

Further investigations led to a raid on Lawal’s residence on June 21, 2023, where over 300 additional debit cards were found. These cards were linked to bank accounts set up in the names of other elderly victims, with fraudulent tax refund claims totaling over $3 million. Law enforcement action prevented these claims from being issued.

Lawal now faces a maximum of ten years in prison for access device fraud, with a mandatory minimum of two additional years for aggravated identity theft, to be served consecutively. He will also be subject to up to four years of supervised release after serving his prison term.

The case highlights the ongoing issues of elder fraud and the importance of vigilance among older adults. The National Elder Fraud Hotline remains a critical resource for victims of such schemes, providing necessary support and guidance. U.S. Attorney Barron has praised the collaborative efforts of the IRS-CI and local police in bringing Lawal to justice, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph L. Wenner and Paul Riley.

For Immediate Release: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland

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