Latronda Brooks, Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Florida 2024

Tampa Tax Scam Scheme Lands Local Woman in Hot Water

Latronda Brooks, a Palmetto woman, has been indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with an income tax refund scheme. If convicted, Brooks faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud count, followed by an additional two-year, consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge.

The indictment alleges that Brooks operated a tax preparation business called Magnificent Tax Services, but instead of using her tax preparer number, she used fake permission forms signed by taxpayers to deposit and cash third-party tax refund checks into her bank account. Brooks allegedly kept up to 25% of the refunds as a ‘service charge’, spending the rest on personal expenses and not returning any of the funds to the taxpayers.

According to the indictment, Brooks opened an Urban Trust Bank account in her name and used it to funnel the stolen tax refunds. The indictment seeks a money judgment in the amount of $327,521, representing the proceeds of the alleged fraud.

The investigation into Brooks’ scheme was led by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen will be prosecuting the case.

The indictment is merely a formal charge, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Brooks’ case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance when it comes to tax preparation and identity theft. Taxpayers are urged to be cautious when sharing their personal and financial information with tax preparers and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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