Tax issues can quickly become criminal matters if the IRS suspects that you willfully provided false documents in an attempt to defraud the government. Tax fraud charges can be brought against individuals for a variety of reasons including omissions to tax returns, falsified records, and failure to file taxes. It is also possible to be charged with tax fraud if you help someone submit fraudulent tax records.
Federal prosecutors recently brought criminal charges against six individuals in connection with a tax fraud scheme which the IRS estimates to be worth $1.7 million. A 10-count indictment against the defendants was unsealed yesterday indicating that the scheme allegedly took place between 2009 and 2011. Authorities say that the identities of dead people were stolen to file tax returns. The refunds from the fraudulent returns were then directed to Florida.
Authorities say once the funds were received in Florida, checks would be sent to individuals in the Cleveland area. The checks were then sold or cashed at area businesses.
Identity theft is one of the areas that the IRS has begun to focus on in connection with growing numbers of Florida-based tax schemes.
"The Justice Department and the IRS will continue to cooperate in investigating and prosecuting these crimes to the fullest extent of the law," said John A. DiCicco, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Tax Division. "In our technology-driven society, this simply must be a top priority."
"This case is an example of the FBI and IRS working together to aggressively pursue and investigate those organized criminal enterprises that commit identity theft and fraudulent activities in the United States," said a FBI special agent.
Source: US Department of Justice, "Six Charged in Scheme to Use Identities of Deceased People to Get Tax Refunds," Jan. 25, 2012
Comments: 2
2 Comments
jannie wood
January 30, 2012 at 3:52 PM
i was just wondering how people who have never worked. live in publice housing. on disability. file taxes for income they have never received and receive a tax return. while people that work hard all year. have all the proper documents W2's and all from there jobs. Go to legitiment agencies get audited or less back than someone who never work or received no income all year.
Janet Viera
February 1, 2012 at 10:27 AM
I was recently informed just yesterday that someone filed a return with my personal information and I was asked to file the Identity theft affidavit along with my 1040A form and supporting documents. I sent out the information out via certified mail, however my concern is that now the IRS is going to take almost a year to issue my refund and i am 34 weeks pregnant, my husband is unemployed and I will be on unpaid maternity leave and I was counting on my refund. Is there anything I can do instead of sitting here waiting for the IRS to decide when to issue my refund? Also I wasnt even provided with any information of the fradulent tax documentation that was originally filed.
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