Date: Feb. 1, 2024 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov A Union County, New Jersey, man with businesses in Newark was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for operating an unlicensed check cashing business, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Fernando Q. Martins, of Union Township, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Martins previously admitted that from 2015 through June 19, 2019, he operated a business known as Community Check Cashing in Newark, despite holding no license, registration or permission from the U.S. Department of Treasury. He cashed checks for customers in New Jersey and New York, allowing them to cash checks written to shell companies to hide the identity of the customers receiving the cash. In his plea agreement, Martins stipulated that the loss amount was between $250 million and $550 million. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Martins to three years of supervised release, fined him $50,000 fine, and ordered forfeiture of $765,185. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins in Newark; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
