Nicole Dette Perkins, a resident of Houston, Texas, has been taken into custody by federal authorities on charges of making false claims for tax refunds in returns she prepared for other taxpayers and for falsifying her own tax returns.
According to a 14-count indictment unsealed on March 31, 2023, Perkins prepared and filed tax returns on behalf of other taxpayers for the 2009 tax year that claimed false refund amounts.
The indictment further alleges that Perkins falsified her own tax returns for the years 2008 and 2009 by reporting false tax withholdings on fabricated W-2 Forms.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, along with Lucy Cruz, special agent in charge of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), announced the arrest.
Perkins is expected to make her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith at 2:00 p.m.
If convicted, Perkins faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine for each of the 12 counts of making false claims for tax refunds. For each of the two counts of falsifying her own tax returns, she faces up to three years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by IRS-CI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Corso is prosecuting.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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