ALBANY — A local man pleaded guilty Monday to charges related to pandemic relief fraud, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release.
Collins Bozil, 26, of Albany, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and forging endorsements on Treasury checks, for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and purchasing stolen tax refund checks issued by the United States Treasury, an announcement from U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York states.
Bozil also admitted to purchasing five stolen tax refund checks worth more than $9,000, which he falsely endorsed before depositing into bank accounts he owned and controlled, the news release says. He agreed to pay $143,178 to New York state, $3,225 to the United States Department of Treasury and $6,075 to the victims whose identity he stole…