Tamara R. Miller, Tax Refund Theft, Missouri 2020

Tamara R. Miller, a 40-year-old resident of Kansas City, Missouri, has been sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison without parole for stealing tax refunds.

Miller, a former employee of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), was arrested and charged with two counts of theft of government funds. On January 23, 2020, she pleaded guilty to the charges.

The crimes occurred while Miller was employed as a data transcriber at the Kansas City Service Center. In her role, she handled individual income tax returns received by mail. Miller used her position to alter tax returns, causing refunds to be deposited into accounts under her control.

According to investigators, Miller targeted taxpayers who elected to receive their refunds in the form of U.S. Treasury checks. She used the taxpayers' means of identification, including names and Social Security numbers, to open online bank accounts and issue prepaid debit cards. Miller then altered the tax returns to direct the refunds to these new accounts.

The stolen funds totaled $5,214, which was deposited into accounts controlled by Miller. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Larson and investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

Tamara R. Miller's sentence reflects the severity of her crimes and serves as a warning to those who would abuse their positions of trust for personal gain. The Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as necessary.

Mandatory Facts:

• Defendant/Respondent: Tamara R. Miller
• Criminal Charges: Two counts of theft of government funds
• City and State: Kansas City, Missouri
• Exact Date: January 23, 2020 (plea), and [current date] (sentence)
• Sentence or Outcome: Two years and two months in federal prison without parole
• Dollar Amounts: $5,214 (stolen tax refunds)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/former-irs-employee-sentenced-stealing-tax-refunds