Former IRS Employee Guilty of Identity Theft

A former employee of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been found guilty of aggravated identity theft and false statement charges. Joan D. Mobley, 54, of Socorro, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to the charges in federal court in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Mobley, a revenue agent at the time of the crimes, was responsible for auditing small businesses and self-employed taxpayers. However, she used the identification of taxpayers without their consent and falsified official records to indicate that she had completed audits.

The indictment alleged that Mobley committed the crimes between January 2011 and December 2011. During the same period, Mobley falsified official records to indicate that certain taxpayers had consented to extending the time for assessing employment taxes or agreed to the collection and assessment of additional taxes.

As part of her plea agreement, Mobley acknowledged that she falsified records to indicate that she had completed an audit of a California-based business. She also acknowledged signing the name of the business’s president on the records without permission.

Mobley faces up to five years of imprisonment on the false statements charge and a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment on each of the aggravated identity theft charges. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled. Mobley is also required to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $39,738.32.

The case was investigated by the Denver Field Division of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Sean J. Sullivan. Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Cordale Lamb of the Denver Field Division of TIGTA announced the guilty plea.

The crimes committed by Mobley are a serious breach of trust and demonstrate the importance of accountability within government agencies. The guilty plea serves as a reminder that those who abuse their power and commit crimes will be held accountable for their actions.