Lamarion Shanes, Tax Refund Scheme, East St. Louis IL, 2023

EAST ST. LOUIS, IL – Lamarion Shanes, 33, of East St. Louis, is looking at serious time behind bars after pleading guilty today to participating in a brazen tax refund scheme. Shanes admitted to filing false federal income tax returns, a calculated attempt to steal money from American taxpayers.

According to a statement released by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, Shanes pled guilty to two counts of making a false claim for a federal tax refund. The indictment alleges Shanes was part of a larger operation involving at least three other individuals from the metro east area.

The feds aren’t playing around. Shanes now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years. Beyond incarceration, he’s also staring down the barrel of a hefty fine – up to $500,000. And that’s not all; he’ll also be required to make full restitution for the money he illegally obtained, and faces up to 3 years of supervised release after serving his time.

The investigation, led by the Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations, dug into the scheme and brought Shanes and his co-conspirators to justice. Details of the full operation remain sealed, but sources indicate the scheme involved fabricated income and deductions to inflate refund amounts.

Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith is prosecuting the case, determined to see Shanes held accountable for his actions. Sentencing is currently scheduled for July 10, 2015, giving Shanes time to consider the consequences of his choices. This case serves as a stark warning: messing with the IRS will land you in hot water.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available. The Southern District of Illinois has made it clear they are serious about prosecuting financial crimes, and this plea is another example of that commitment. Expect more indictments to come as the investigation continues to unfold.

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