Lee County man indicted in tax refund fraud scheme

FORT MYERS, Fla. A Lee County man used proceeds from fraudulent tax returns to buy thousands of dollars in gold coins and other property, according to a federal grand jury indictment.

Attila Kalmar filed 2007 through 2009 trust returns with the Internal Revenue Service in the name of First AK-Open Sec Trust, a nominee entity, seeking more than $480,000 in fraudulent refunds, according to the indictment, which was handed down Feb. 15 and released Thursday.

Kalmar deposited a refund check he received as a result of these filings into a bank account, then used the proceeds on the coins and property, the indictment said. He’s also accused of wiring some of that money overseas.

He attempted to impede internal revenue laws by transferring funds between nominee bank accounts and misled the IRS, telling the agency that an IRS revenue officer was the trustee for First AK-Open Sec Trust, according to the indictment.

If convicted, Kalmar faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each mail fraud count, 10 years in prison for each money laundering count and three years in prison for corruptly endeavoring to impede the administration of internal revenue laws. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture and monetary penalties.