Marie Poitevien will be sentenced Dec. 17.
ORANGE -- An Orange woman admits she helped steal more than $1 million by participating in a scheme to fraudulently file tax returns, according to U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.
Marie Poitevien, 53, pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to an information charging her with conspiring to steal government funds, Fishman's office said. Poitevien could face five years in jail and a $250,000 fine.
Authorities say that Poitevien's conspirators made fraudulent refund applications by stealing victims' identities, then sent her the checks at her residence. Poitevien deposited the funds in her personal account and later withdrew them -- 298 times, Fishman said.
In total, 139 people were the victims of the fraud, Fishman said.
She will be sentenced on Dec. 17.
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