Tonya Alexander, Tax Refund Check Scam, Georgia 2012

MACON, GA – A former bank teller and a check casher have been indicted for their roles in cashing fraudulently obtained tax refund checks, totaling over $1.6 million in stolen refunds, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney G.F. Peterman, III, for the Middle District of Georgia.

Tonya Alexander, a former bank teller at SunTrust Bank in Columbus, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of public money and ten counts of theft of public money. The indictment alleges that between June 2012 and December 2013, Alexander was approached by several co-conspirators who wanted her to cash fraudulently obtained tax refund checks in exchange for a fee.

According to the indictment, the income tax refunds were generated by tax returns filed using stolen identities. Alexander allegedly recruited another bank teller to assist her in cashing the fraudulent tax refund checks. In total, Alexander and her co-conspirators are alleged to have cashed over 500 tax refund checks that fraudulently claimed over $1 million in tax refunds.

George Rowell, owner and operator of Big O’s Package Store in Columbus, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft of public money, seven counts of theft of public money and two counts of passing forged U.S. Treasury checks. The indictment alleges that between January 2013 and December 2013, Rowell offered check cashing services at his store.

Rowell allegedly charged his co-conspirators 10 percent of the check’s face value and permitted at least one co-conspirator to forge the endorsement on the checks in his presence. In total, Rowell and his co-conspirators are alleged to have cashed over 250 tax refund checks worth more than $600,000.

If convicted, Alexander and Rowell each face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy counts and 10 years in prison for each count of theft of public money. Rowell also faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of passing a forged U.S. Treasury check. Both defendants also face monetary penalties, supervised release and restitution.

“An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Ciraolo. “The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

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