Margaret Kirksey, Tax Conspiracy, Alabama 2012

Alabama Woman Sentenced for Tax Conspiracy

In a shocking case of identity theft and tax fraud, Margaret Kirksey, a resident of Montgomery, Ala., was sentenced to 81 months in federal prison for filing false tax returns using stolen identities.

On Jan. 24, 2012, Kirksey pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the government and aggravated identity theft. She was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 27, 2011, on charges of conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, false claims and lying to federal agents.

According to court documents, Kirksey and her co-conspirator, Yumeitrius Manuel, each owned and operated a tax preparation business in Montgomery, located in the same physical place. The two fraudulently inflated tax refunds by placing false information on their clients’ tax returns. They also filed tax returns in the names and Social Security numbers of individuals who did not know about, and did not authorize, the filing of tax returns on their behalf.

Both Manuel and Kirksey admitted that their respective crimes involved over $1 million in tax loss and more than 50 victims of identity theft. Manuel has also pleaded guilty to a tax conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 8, 2012.

U.S. District Judge Mark E. Fuller also ordered Kirksey to pay $52,242 in restitution to the IRS.

This case was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Justin Gelfand and Jason Poole of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

Margaret Kirksey, a 41-year-old resident of Montgomery, Ala., was sentenced to 81 months in federal prison for her role in a tax conspiracy that involved over $1 million in tax loss and more than 50 victims of identity theft. The charges against Kirksey included conspiracy to defraud the government and aggravated identity theft.

Montgomery, Ala., is the city where Kirksey operated a tax preparation business with her co-conspirator, Yumeitrius Manuel. The two businesses were located in the same physical place, and they filed false tax returns using stolen identities.

The case against Kirksey was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Justin Gelfand and Jason Poole of the Justice Division’s Tax Division.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/alabama-return-preparer-sentenced-federal-prison-tax-conspiracy-involving-stolen-identity