Karen Kimble, Tax Refund Scam, Maryland 2013

Baltimore, MD – In a shocking turn of events, Owings Mills resident Karen Kimble, 38, has been indicted on 21 counts of tax refund scam, wire fraud, and other financial crimes. The indictment, unveiled on January 24, 2013, alleges that Kimble conducted a widespread tax fraud scheme between February 2008 and April 2012.

According to the indictment, Kimble, who falsely claimed to be a certified tax preparer, submitted fraudulent tax returns for her clients, inflating credits and deductions to fraudulently increase tax refunds. The scheme, which victimized innocent taxpayers, resulted in Kimble receiving over $221,000 in fraudulent federal and state tax refunds, which she failed to report as income on her own tax returns.

The indictment also alleges that Kimble committed visa fraud by marrying a Ghanaian citizen on February 14, 2008, despite knowing that the marriage was not valid due to the Ghanaian’s prior marriage. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $221,698, alleged to be the proceeds of the scheme.

Kimble faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of six counts of wire fraud, three years in prison for each of five counts of subscribing to a false tax return, and five counts of aiding in the filing of a false tax return. She also faces a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for each of four counts of aggravated identity theft and 10 years in prison for visa fraud.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment, which was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, along with representatives from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

âFraud schemes involving identity theft cause tremendous financial damage and can make honest taxpayers face a more difficult time obtaining their lawful refund,â said Shelia Olander, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington DC Field Office. âMs. Kimbleâs refund fraud scheme victimized innocent taxpayers and tampered with the integrity of our nationâs tax system. The IRS will remain vigilant in our investigation of these schemes and will continue to work with prosecutors to combat this type of criminal conduct.â

An indictment is not a finding of guilt, and Kimble is presumed innocent unless proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative efforts of HSI Baltimore, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the USCIS Baltimore District Office, and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Peter M. Nothstein for prosecuting the case.

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