A Cape Girardeau resident has pleaded guilty to charges involving identity theft and pandemic-related fraud. Myles Benjamin Depew, 35, entered his plea in U.S. District Court on Friday, admitting to three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Depew used stolen identities to apply for and receive two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, he obtained an $11,000 loan using one person’s name, followed by a $14,000 loan the next month under another individual’s identity. He also used a third person’s information to open a checking account at a West Virginia-based bank.
Depew prepared fraudulent Missouri state tax returns that led to refunds being deposited into this account: $2,060 in February 2022 and $8,668.49 in April 2023.
During an interview with agents from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Depew admitted stealing the identities of 10 to 15 people and using them to seek approximately $50,000 in benefits from the state of Missouri. He estimated spending about $40,000 on gambling at casinos, $5,000 on food, and another $5,000 on methamphetamine. Depew worked as a tax preparer and had access to personal information including names, birthdates and Social Security numbers.
Depew is scheduled for sentencing on May 26. The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million or both. Aggravated identity theft has a mandatory sentence of two years in prison—served consecutively with other charges—and may include a fine up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis.
