Pocono News Section

Illegal Immigrant Gets $7,000 Tax Refund

Illegal Immigrant Gets $7,000 Tax Refund - Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 5:50PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2009 @ 05:50pm EST
BEAVER MEADOWS, CARBON COUNTY- Two illegal immigrants were nabbed in a small Carbon County community. Their arrests led to the discovery of a much bigger problem.

The two illegals were pulled over for speeding in Beaver Meadows, near Hazleton. Police quickly discovered they were involved in a very sophisticated scam, one they say was so smooth they even tricked the federal government.

The story starts off as a routine traffic stop on Route 93. Police Chief Mike Moressi stopped a tan truck for speeding. Two men were inside, Luis Rivera, the driver, and his passenger Jose Torrez. They had very convincing paperwork and looked like American citizens.

The chief has nabbed two dozen illegal aliens in the past year or so, but says this was different. “He does have a valid PA driver's license, a title of vehicle, under a fictitious name. He had all the other paperwork, but the person on paper does not exist," he told Eyewitness News.

The chief says the paperwork was too good and he checked it out with I. C.E, Immigration Customs Enforcement. Sure enough they were in America illegally. But they were so good, they even fooled the I. R.S. "They actually fooled the I. R.S. with the fictitious social security number. The card is a fake but they were able to get a tax refund of over $7,000,” said Moressi.

The men are now in the custody of I. C.E. Chief Moressi is now giving his documents to I. C.E. and the I. R.S. Both agencies have lots of questions.