Mitchell Ring Pilfers $20M in Identity Fraud

MONTGOMERY, AL – A brazen scheme to steal over $20 million from the U.S. Treasury using pilfered identities has landed nine individuals in the crosshairs of federal investigators. Tracy Mitchell, of Phenix City, Alabama, is at the center of a sprawling conspiracy that allegedly ran from January 2011 to December 2013, exploiting vulnerable individuals – including deployed soldiers – for financial gain.

Alongside Mitchell are co-defendants Dameisha Mitchell, Latasha Mitchell, Keisha Lanier, Sharondra Johnson, Cynthia Johnson, Mequetta Snell-Quick, Talarious Paige, and Patrice Taylor. The indictment, unsealed this week, details a sophisticated operation where over 7,000 fraudulent tax returns were filed, claiming in excess of $20 million in bogus refunds. The ring allegedly sourced stolen identities from multiple avenues, including a chilling breach of security at Fort Benning.

According to the Superseding Indictment, Tracy Mitchell, as a hospital employee at Fort Benning, Georgia, had access to the personal identification data of military personnel – many of whom were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mitchell and her daughter, Latasha Mitchell, also allegedly obtained stolen identities from an Alabama state agency. Keisha Lanier further fueled the scheme by pilfering data from the Alabama Department of Corrections. Talarious Paige and Patrice Taylor, working at a Columbus, Georgia call center, are accused of directly stealing identities and selling them to the ringleaders.

The operation wasn’t just about obtaining the identities; it was about building a fraudulent infrastructure. The defendants established sham tax businesses, securing Electronic Filing Numbers (EFINs) to file the false returns. They then applied for bank products, receiving blank check stock delivered directly to their homes. Tracy Mitchell, Latasha Mitchell, Keisha Lanier, and Mequetta Snell-Quick allegedly used this stolen check stock to print fraudulent refund checks, while others directed refunds to prepaid debit cards and U.S. Treasury Checks intercepted from the mail. Communication was coordinated via text message, ensuring a smooth flow of stolen funds.

“To steal the identity of a soldier serving his/her country is the lowest form of thievery,” stated U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama. “If a soldier serving his country is not safe from identity theft, then none of us are safe from this crime. We will continue our efforts to stamp out this crime. Identity theft affects too many people in our communities and we must use all available resources under the law to destroy it.” The defendants face charges of conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

The case, spearheaded by Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Beck, underscores the ongoing battle against identity theft and tax fraud. The IRS Criminal Investigations Unit and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command played a crucial role in dismantling this criminal organization. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the case progresses. Daniel Andrews, the director of the U.S.