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Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Large-Scale Identity Theft and Tax Refund Scheme
El Dorado, AR – Gregory A. Taylor, 51, of Clanton, Alabama (formerly Crossett, Arkansas), has pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims, according to a recent plea agreement.
As part of the scheme, Taylor and his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed refunds totaling $1,101,478, using the personal identifying information of numerous individuals, including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth.
The investigation, which began in 2011, was a collaborative effort between the IRS-CI, U.S. Secret Service, and the El Dorado Police Department, and resulted in the indictment of eight defendants in June 2014.
Additional defendants involved in the case who have pleaded guilty include:
- Venus M. Ford, 34, pleaded guilty August 5, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.
- Shawn D. Carey, 35, pleaded guilty June 23, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.
- Whitney M. Charles, 26, pleaded guilty August 6, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.
- Sanjuana N. Aaron, 35, pleaded guilty August 26, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft.
- Erica R. Browning, 36, pleaded guilty March 20, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims, one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Theft of Public Money.
- Ecko Scott, 35, pleaded guilty August 5, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims, one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Theft of Public Money.
- Clarrise R. Carey, 34, pleaded guilty August 3, 2015, to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States with Respect to Claims and one count of Theft of Public Money.
The plea agreement was accepted by the Honorable Susan O. Hickey in the U.S. District Court in El Dorado.
Taylor’s guilty plea marks the latest development in a case that has been ongoing since 2011, and demonstrates the IRS’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money and pursuing those who engage in large-scale identity theft and tax refund schemes.
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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