A woman from Georgia has been accused of perpetrating a massive tax return scam, with the potential for hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses for the U.S. government.
Tiffany Lewis, a resident of Georgia, was arrested on October 26, 2018, after an indictment alleged that she conspired to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns and making false statements to a federal agent.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury, stated that Lewis and her co-conspirators, including Renault Shinall, fraudulently obtained income tax refunds by filing false tax returns between approximately 2011 and 2014.
According to the indictment, Lewis and her co-conspirators directed the tax refunds into bank accounts they controlled, and then used checks and debit cards to withdraw cash or pay for personal items.
Later, when interviewed by an Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation special agent, Lewis lied about her purported purchase of a tax return preparation business.
If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum of 5 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and 5 years in prison for the false statements charge. She also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
One of Lewis’s co-conspirators, Renault Shinall, was sentenced in July 2018 to 37 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to his part in the conspiracy.
It is essential to note that an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation was conducted by special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, and the case is being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorneys David Zisserson and Sean Beaty, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey A. Brown.
The U.S. government has made significant efforts to combat tax-related crimes, and this case highlights the importance of vigilance in preventing these types of scams.
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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