TOLEDO, OHIO – A trio of women from Toledo and Detroit have been hit with a 29-count federal indictment for their roles in a massive tax fraud conspiracy that siphoned over $436,000 from the government. United States Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach and IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Kathy Enstrom announced the charges.
Erica Harris, 32, Shaunte Harris, 29, both of Toledo, and Latoya Gilmer, 29, of Detroit are accused of conspiring to defraud the government through false claims from 2009 to April 2010. The scheme targeted individuals with little or no income, offering them a share of the fraudulent tax refunds in exchange for their personal and children’s information.
The defendants then filed electronic returns reporting fictitious wages, Social Security benefits, and 1099 withholding amounts, often exceeding $10,000. Together, they submitted over 40 false returns and collected around $436,036 in fraudulent refunds.
According to the indictment, if convicted, the sentences for the defendants will be determined by the Court based on factors including prior criminal records, roles in the offense, and characteristics of the violation. However, in all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and are likely to be significantly less than the maximum.
The investigation into this case was led by the Internal Revenue Service in Toledo, with Assistant United States Attorney Alissa M. Sterling handling the prosecution. As a reminder, an indictment is merely a charge, and defendants are entitled to a fair trial where the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This story brings to light the relentless efforts of law enforcement agencies like the IRS in combating financial crimes that undermine the integrity of our tax system.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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