Richmond Lawyer Nnika White Jailed for $68K Tax Theft, Fraud

RICHMOND, Va. — Nnika White, 42, a former Richmond lawyer and owner of White & Associates, PLLC, was sentenced to one year in federal prison today for bankruptcy fraud and willfully failing to collect and pay over employment taxes to the IRS. The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, exposes a pattern of deceit that spanned both her client representation and her responsibilities as an employer.

According to court documents, in 2014, one of White’s bankruptcy clients inherited approximately $50,000. Instead of reporting the windfall to the bankruptcy trustee, White concealed the funds by depositing the checks into her firm’s account. After discussions with the client, she paid herself over $31,000 from those funds as purported legal fees — all while omitting any mention of the inheritance or her own claim as a creditor in subsequent bankruptcy filings. The deliberate omissions led to her eventual disbarment.

Simultaneously, White abused her role as an employer. From late 2011 through late 2015, she issued W-2 forms to employees showing that federal income and Social Security taxes had been withheld from their wages. In reality, White never forwarded those withheld amounts to the IRS. She also failed to pay the employer’s matching portion of payroll taxes. The total unpaid tax liability — stolen from both employees and the government — exceeded $68,000.

The fraud unraveled under federal scrutiny. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted a joint probe that exposed the dual layers of White’s misconduct: defrauding the bankruptcy system and looting employee withholdings. Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Lee of the FBI and Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Lappin of IRS-CI in Washington, D.C., emphasized the seriousness of professionals exploiting their positions for personal gain.

U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson handed down the one-year sentence, holding White accountable for betraying the legal profession and violating federal tax law. Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Harbach, II, led the prosecution, underscoring that no professional license insulates someone from criminal consequences. Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick stated the sentence sends a clear message: fraud against the system will be met with federal time.

Court records, including filings from Case No. 3:17-cr-159, are available through the Eastern District of Virginia’s District Court website and PACER. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has published a full press release detailing the investigation and sentencing, cementing the case as a stark reminder of the consequences when trust is weaponized for profit.