GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The grimy halls of justice have once again echoed with the solemn sound of a guilty plea. Ryan Glidewell, a Tennessee man, has been caught in a sprawling web of financial deceit tied to COVID-19 employment tax credits. Glidewell’s scheme was nothing short of brazen: he conspired with others to siphon over $1.8 million from the government.
The 40-year-old suspect, along with his co-conspirators, established a network of phantom businesses designed to exploit the Employee Retention Credit and paid Sick and Family Leave Credit. These were federal measures crafted to prop up struggling companies during the pandemic’s height. But Glidewell’s ‘businesses’ didn’t exist beyond paper and phony employee records.
Through this elaborate scheme, Glidewell filed numerous falsified tax returns, falsely claiming over $3.4 million in refunds. He directed these ill-gotten gains to addresses under his control, a move that speaks volumes about his disregard for the rule of law. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ultimately coughed up $1.8 million before the scheme was unraveled.
Glidewell’s day of reckoning is set for November 12, 2025, when he will face a judge to be sentenced. He could spend two decades behind bars if found guilty of conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, ten years for money laundering, and three years for aiding in the preparation of a false tax return.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly and U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III made the announcement of Glidewell’s charges. The IRS Criminal Investigation division and the U.S. Secret Service were instrumental in bringing this crime to light, while Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Heavener are the ones prosecuting the case.
This is a stark reminder that even during times of crisis, white-collar criminals will seek to exploit vulnerabilities for their own gain. The justice system stands firm against such greed and deceit.
###
RELATED: Texas Courier Admits to Cross-Country Coke Run
RELATED: Texas Courier Admits Role in Cross-Country Coke Pipeline
Related Federal Cases
- Kalena Winston Pleads Guilty to $70K Tax Fraud Scheme · Kansas
- Tennessee Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of Minor · Arkansas
- Vincent Lee Ferguson Guilty in $8.1M ‘Made in USA’ Boot Fraud · Massachusetts
- Tennessee Man Faces Life Sentence for Child Pornography · Texas
- Tennessee Man Sentenced for $8.9M Crop Insurance Scam · Kentucky
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News