BUFFALO, N.Y. - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan announced the Nov. 19 sentencing of Joseph Ciffa of Tonawanda, New York, to 37 months in prison. Ciffa, age 56, was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Keegan; the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, under the direction of U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Fattorusso; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward; and the New York State, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Lucy Lang.
“Joseph Ciffa led a network of fraudsters who exploited the well-meaning public through the use of intimidation and bogus threats of criminal procedure, and in turn collected over $3 million in illicit funds,” said HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. “HSI Buffalo, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will not stand idly by as criminal opportunists target the public with impunity. We are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of New Yorkers whenever and wherever possible.”
According to the investigation, Ciffa was involved in the debt collection business since at least 2013. Since early 2015, Ciffa ran, and conspired with others to run, an illegitimate debt collection business, operating out of multiple locations, which included: 1625 Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls, NY; 870 Ontario Street and 1567 Military Road, both in Kenmore, NY; and out of his home office on Grand Island. The operation utilized fraudulent means to collect debts, to recollect on debts already collected, to over-collect on debts actually owed, and to process and transfer payments related to the collection of such debts. Debt collectors made threatening statements over the telephone to debtors in an effort to induce payment of debts. Those statements included reference to criminal statutes, and the filing of criminal complaints and/or warrants. In order to intimidate debtors and induce payment, debtors were routinely routed to employees who posed as attorneys during the calls.
Between January 2015, and December 2016, Ciffa’s operation collected approximately $3,061,205 from victims. Ciffa also filed a false tax return for the tax year 2015, underreporting his business income, thereby avoiding a total tax liability of approximately $15,651. In addition, in 2016 Ciffa committed fraud involving Medicaid benefits. He lied in an application to the Erie County Department of Social Services, by under-reporting his income, in order to obtain benefits for himself and his children.