Four Floridians, Prisoner Income Tax Refund Scheme, Florida 2024

PENSACOLA, FL – Four Floridians have been federally indicted for their involvement in a fraudulent prisoner income tax refund scheme.

Cora Beard (68), William Scott Folk (36), Christopher Jesse Lee (35), and Gail Anita Moss (60) have been charged with various crimes in connection with the scheme.

According to the indictment, beginning around January 2006, the four individuals and others filed fraudulent tax returns using the names and social security numbers of inmates housed in the Florida Department of Corrections, and on occasion other individuals who were not incarcerated.

As part of this scheme, Cora Beard and Gail Anita Moss used their home addresses, as well as the home addresses of previously indicted co-conspirators Mary Blair, Thomas Rabeau, Nikki Kight, Elton Blair, and others, so IRS refund checks would be mailed to them.

The indictment alleges that the defendants and others filed and caused to be filed approximately 344 false and fraudulent federal income tax returns, which falsely claimed approximately $1,656,721 in false, fictitious, and fraudulent refunds from the United States.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Eggers as part of a initiative to fight stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF).

Defendant information: Cora Beard, Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, Filing False Claims Against the Government, Theft from the Government, Aggravated Identity Theft. William Scott Folk, Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud. Christopher Jesse Lee, Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud. Gail Anita Moss, Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, Filing False Claims Against the Government, Theft from the Government, Aggravated Identity Theft. Location: PENSACOLA, Florida. Date: 2024. Sentence: pending trial. Fine: not applicable. Dollar amount: $1,656,721.

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