A Redmond, Oregon man has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for identity theft and evading tax debt payments. Michael David Anastasia, 69, was also given three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $777,899 in restitution to his victim. Restitution to the IRS will be determined later.
Court documents reveal that from 2002 until January 2020, Anastasia used a stolen social security number to open more than 30 bank accounts and credit cards. Between 1991 and 2003, he received $1.4 million from another victim by fabricating an agreement with the United States regarding allegedly seized funds. In 2007, he was convicted of tax evasion for not paying federal income taxes on these funds.
After being released from prison in November 2015, Anastasia entered into an agreement with the IRS to make payments toward his tax debt if he earned more than $4,526 per month. Instead of paying his taxes, he convinced a victim to send excess funds to his roommate. He instructed the roommate to withdraw the cash overage, which Anastasia then stored at home. From March 2016 to September 2018, he avoided paying over $180,000 to the IRS.
On February 15, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene charged Anastasia with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, tax evasion, and making false statements to financial institutions in a nine-count superseding indictment. On September 4, 2024, Anastasia pleaded guilty to tax evasion and identity theft.
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gavin W. Bruce and William M. McLaren for the District of Oregon.