Attorney Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud, Tax Evasion

Admitted to Fraudulently Transferring More Than $1 Million from Bank Account of Deceased Contra Costa County Resident

OAKLAND, CA—A New York attorney pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland today for fraudulently transferring more than $1 million from the bank accounts of a deceased Contra Costa County resident and then failing to pay taxes on that income, United States Attorney Melinda Haag and Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigations, Scott O’Briant announced.

Igor Purlantov pleaded guilty in front of United States District Court Judge Saundra B. Armstrong. Following the guilty plea, Judge Armstrong sentenced Purlantov to 24 months in prison.

In pleading guilty, Purlantov, 35, of New York, admitted to engaging in a scheme to defraud a deceased family friend by fraudulently adding himself on to the friend’s HSBC bank account in Geneva and then transferring more than $1 million to his own accounts in London before transferring some of the money to his accounts in New York. The scheme occurred from October 2004 through February 2005. The defendant then failed to pay taxes on the stolen income.

In his plea agreement, Purlantov accepted full responsibility and agreed to fully reimburse the beneficiaries of his deceased friend in the amount of $1,175,666 and to pay back taxes to the IRS in the amount of $293,048.25.

Purlantov was charged by information on June 9, 2011, with one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201. He pleaded guilty to both counts.

Purlantov was ordered by Judge Armstrong to self surrender to begin his sentence on Jan. 27, 2012. The maximum statutory penalty for wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution. The maximum statutory penalty for tax evasion, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201, is five years in prison and $250,000 and restitution.

Maureen Bessette is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case with the assistance of supervisor legal tech Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of a two-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.