ALBUQUERQUE – A former New Mexico state tax official faces dozens of counts of wire fraud and other crimes accusing him of stealing nearly $690,000 by altering taxpayers’ refunds and routing them to his own bank accounts.
George Martinez, 45, of Albuquerque, appeared in federal court Wednesday after being arrested Tuesday on a March 12 federal indictment’s 42 counts each of wire fraud and identity theft and six counts of money laundering.
From May 2011 to July 2018, Martinez allegedly used his position as head of the Taxation and Revenue Department’s questionable refund unit to manipulate the system for his own benefit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Online court records did not list an attorney for Martinez who could comment on his behalf about the allegations.
If convicted, Martinez faces between two and 22 years in prison, the office said.