Candace Brie Betances, 42, of Prattville, Alabama, admitted in federal court Monday, April 29, 2019, to attempting to steal $253,080 from the U.S. Treasury through a fabricated tax return. Betances pleaded guilty to submitting false claims to the Internal Revenue Service, marking the collapse of a brazen scheme to exploit the nation’s tax system.
The case traces back to July 2015, when Betances filed a return for the 2013 tax year claiming her employer withheld $1,152,320.00 in federal taxes—a figure entirely invented. Based on that lie, she demanded a refund of $253,080.00 from the U.S. Treasury. Court records confirm she knew the claim was false, the withholdings nonexistent, and the refund undeserved. The IRS flagged the return and blocked the payout.
Betances was indicted in February 2019 by a federal grand jury on four counts of making false claims against the government. Her guilty plea now sets the stage for sentencing in the coming months, where she faces up to five years in federal prison and steep financial penalties. The investigation was conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
“By making false statements on her tax return, Ms. Betances was attempting to defraud the government and steal from every American taxpayer,” said U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. “I am pleased that the Internal Revenue Service was able to prevent the loss of tax dollars in this case and I pledge that my office will prosecute anyone that wants to use the United States Treasury as his or her own piggy bank.”
Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman of IRS Criminal Investigation echoed the sentiment: “This plea is an important victory for America’s taxpayers who play by the rules and have no tolerance for those who make up their own rules. This investigation serves to remind us that there is no such thing as free money and there are no awards or incentives for creativity when it comes to crime.”
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross is prosecuting the case. The outcome underscores the federal crackdown on tax fraud—a crime that doesn’t just target the government, but every working American who files honestly. Betances now awaits her day in sentencing, where the court will determine the final price of her deception.
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Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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