Tarrish Tellis, Tax Refund Theft, Alabama 2023

Tax Refund Theft Rocks Montgomery County

A Montgomery County, Ala. man has pleaded guilty to stealing tax refunds amounting to over $700,000.

Tarrish Tellis, a resident of Montgomery County, Ala., pleaded guilty to conspiracy, theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft on January 25, 2023.

According to court documents, Tellis obtained and used the stolen means of identification of individuals, including their names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, for the purpose of filing false federal income tax returns.

Tellis instructed his co-conspirators and others to provide him with bank account numbers for accounts at financial institutions that were used to receive the fraudulently obtained tax refunds. Tellis used the account numbers and stolen means of identification to file false tax returns that claimed over $700,000 in false refunds.

Tellis faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 per count.

The case was investigated by special agents of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Charles M. Edgar Jr. and Michael Boteler of the Justice Department's Tax Division prosecuted the case.

Tellis' plea is a significant blow to those who attempt to cheat the system, and we hope it sends a message to others who may be considering similar crimes.

Defendant: Tarrish Tellis

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy, theft of public funds and aggravated identity theft

City and State: Montgomery County, Ala.

Exact Date: January 25, 2023

Sentence or Outcome: Maximum sentence of 17 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 per count

Dollar Amounts: Over $700,000

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/alabama-man-pleads-guilty-stealing-tax-refunds