By: Richard L. Smith
Yezenia Castillo, 47, of Hoboken has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for her role in a fraudulent scheme that victimized over 100 non-profits, private schools, and religious institutions across New Jersey, causing financial losses exceeding $1.5 million.
The sentencing was announced Thursday by U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and was handed down by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court.
Castillo had previously entered a guilty plea for wire fraud and tax evasion charges.
From 2012 through 2021, she misrepresented herself as a certified public accountant (CPA) capable of providing financial and accounting services to various organizations.
Despite these claims, Castillo was not a licensed CPA and failed to deliver any of the promised services.
Utilizing deceitful tactics, Castillo extracted fees for non-existent services and unlawfully transferred client funds to her personal accounts.
Federal officials said she further misled her clients by falsely asserting that she would use their funds to pay taxes on their behalf, a promise she never intended to keep.
To maintain the charade, Castillo fabricated receipts and falsely assured her victims that their taxes had been filed and paid.
The extensive fraud perpetrated by Castillo has led to significant financial repercussions for her victims, with losses amounting to more than $1.5 million.
As part of her sentence, Judge Wigenton also imposed three years of supervised release following Castillo's incarceration and ordered her to pay restitution and forfeiture totaling $3.25 million each, aiming to mitigate the impact of her fraudulent activities on the affected organizations.