⏱ 2 min read
Jessica Latoya Staten, a 41-year-old tax return preparer from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for running a massive tax scam. Between 2018 and 2025, Staten prepared and filed hundreds of false and fraudulent federal income tax returns, resulting in over $3 million in tax losses. As the owner of Luckie Ones Tax Professionals, Staten artificially inflated tax refund amounts by claiming false credits and reporting non-existent businesses.
Staten’s scheme involved filing false tax returns for clients in eastern North Carolina, claiming credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, the American Opportunity Tax Credit, and the Lifetime Learning Credit. She also reported false self-employment income and expenses for non-existent businesses, attributing them to her clients. The IRS and the US Attorney’s Office worked together to bring Staten to justice, with US Attorney Ellis Boyle stating that the sentence serves as a warning to others considering similar crimes.
The court ordered Staten to pay $3,097,568 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Charlotte Field Office noted that dishonest tax return preparers use various schemes to defraud the government, and that the IRS and the US Attorney’s Office remain committed to pursuing individuals who try to cheat the system.
The sentence is a significant blow to tax scammers in North Carolina, and serves as a reminder that the government will not tolerate fraudulent activity. With the IRS and the US Attorney’s Office working together, those who engage in tax fraud can expect to face serious consequences.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: North Carolina
- Location: NC
- Source: DOJ Press Release
