Rhonda Sue Ackerman, Tax Evasion, Washington 2022

A Spokane woman has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for tax evasion and theft of $1,378,541 in public funds.

Rhonda Sue Ackerman, 54, pleaded guilty to two counts of willfully failing to file her 2015 and 2016 federal income tax returns.

Senior United States District Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson sentenced Ackerman to a 12-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a one-year term of court supervision after she is released from federal prison.

Ackerman’s federal prison term will run consecutive to the 12-month prison term imposed by the Spokane County Superior Court on January 4, 2023, following her first-degree theft conviction in State of Washington v. Rhonda Sue Ackerman (Case No. 21110632-32) for stealing $1,378,541 in public funds between 2007 and 2016.

Ackerman abused her position as a liability claims technician at Spokane County Department of Risk Management, embezzling $440,315.25 and failing to file federal income tax returns reporting her income.

Ackerman used her access to risk management software to enrich herself by creating bogus “vendor” and vendor IDs for nominees (fake third-party claimants). She then created and submitted bogus claims vouchers to Spokane County, delivering the bogus vouchers to the auditor’s office for payment, picking up the vouchers and contacting the nominees to cash the checks for her at local banks.

As part of the scheme, Ackerman would pay each nominee between $100 and $600 for cashing the checks and keeping the remaining funds for her own personal use and benefit. While Ackerman deposited some of the ill-gotten proceeds into her bank account, a large portion of the cash Ackerman received was spent gambling. At one local casino, Ackerman withdrew approximately $117,000.

“Ackerman willfully disregarded the tax laws and embezzled county funds for her own personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref.

“Gamblers often tell themselves, ‘It’s only a problem if I’m losing.’ Today’s sentence is confirmation that Ms. Ackerman has indeed lost,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), Seattle Field Office.

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