Brockton Woman Sentenced to Prison in $931,000 Tax Refund Check Theft Case

BOSTON, MA — A 71-year-old Brockton woman has been sentenced to two months in federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing a nearly $1 million U.S. Treasury tax refund check, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Lana Ruel was sentenced on October 5, 2026, by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs. Following her prison term, Ruel will serve two months of supervised release. She may also be ordered to pay restitution at a later date.

According to federal prosecutors, Ruel attempted to deposit a $931,000 tax refund check issued to a healthcare company based in Brooklyn, New York.

Before attempting to deposit the check, Ruel incorporated a Massachusetts company and opened a bank account using the same name as the healthcare company listed as the check’s payee. The bank froze her account after the attempted deposit.

Prosecutors said Ruel later contacted the bank and claimed she could explain the check’s origin and purpose.

Investigation uncovered multiple companies

Federal authorities said that over approximately two years, Ruel created four additional Massachusetts companies that lacked legitimate business purposes.

For one of those companies, she reportedly opened accounts at approximately 10 different banks. Investigators also found that money was transferred between accounts and that cash withdrawals were made. The banks subsequently closed the accounts.

Ruel pleaded guilty in June 2026 to one count of theft of government funds. She was arrested and charged in December 2025.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

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