Published 9:35 am Thursday, July 23, 2026 ALBANY, Ga. — Two Tifton men have pleaded guilty to fraud charges in U.S. Federal Court related to the filing for film tax credits in New York worth more than half a million dollars. Ryan Rugg, 28, of Tifton, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rugg faces a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29 in Albany. Co-defendant Joshua Jordan, 37, of Tifton, pleaded guilty March 26 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Jordan faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud and a maximum of two years in prison to be served consecutively and a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft. In addition, Jordan faces up to five years of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3 in Albany. Information about the case was provided to media late Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a New York State Department of Taxation and Finance investigator began looking into a potential fraud scheme on June 24, 2023, involving the submission of 22 New York State tax documents by 18 Georgia residents. The returns were flagged for several factors, including out-of-state residency, first-time filer status, and other indicators of…
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