PHILADELPHIA – Voncel R. Harrigan, Sr., a 51-year-old Philadelphia native, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to file false income tax returns, according to Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
The charges stem from a scheme orchestrated by Harrigan’s daughter, Vontia Jones, who ran a fraudulent tax service out of her home in Philadelphia. Jones’ so-called “business,” titled ‘Jones Tax Service,’ lured unsuspecting victims with promises of quick tax refunds, even if they had never worked. The scheme, which spanned from 2008 to 2013, resulted in over 700 false tax returns worth more than $3 million.
Defendant Jones conspired with her father, sister Michele Wood, and others to steal personal identifying information, using it to file phony tax returns and open bank accounts. These accounts were then used to deposit and withdraw fraudulent refunds. Voncel R. Harrigan, Sr., played a pivotal role in the operation by opening a business account into which fraudulent refund checks totaling nearly $207,000 were deposited.
From February 9, 2011, until January 24, 2012, when search warrants were executed at both Harrigans’ homes, the conspiracy involved 282 fraudulent tax returns claiming refunds of over $1.2 million for the 2010 and 2011 tax years.
Harrigan faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a special assessment of $100. The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Natali.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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