Willie May Ford, 62, of Lamar, South Carolina, is headed to federal prison for 51 months after being convicted in a massive tax fraud scheme that ripped off the U.S. Treasury for more than $1.6 million. The sentence, handed down in Montgomery, Alabama, marks the end of a years-long investigation into a brazen operation that exploited the identities of over 400 unsuspecting Americans.
Ford pleaded guilty on July 29, 2016, to one count of access device fraud. The case began unraveling on July 27, 2013, when officers with the Auburn, Alabama, Police Department responded to a report from a retail store in Opelika about counterfeit travelers checks being used in transactions. Ford and an accomplice were caught red-handed using the fake checks to buy goods at two separate locations.
Following their arrest, investigators searched the vehicle Ford had traveled in and found a treasure trove of criminal tools: stacks of traveler’s checks, multiple credit and debit cards, and troves of personal identifying information. The data belonged to more than 400 individuals—names, Social Security numbers, birth dates—all used to file fraudulent federal income tax returns in their names.
The fraud ring’s operation was precise and cold-blooded. Using stolen identities, Ford and others filed false returns to claim refunds they were never entitled to, funneling taxpayer money into their own pockets. The total restitution ordered: $1,672,971—a figure that underscores the scale of the damage done.
“Willie Ford learned the hard way that IRS-Criminal Investigation has an unwavering pursuit to expose and investigate those who choose to commit identity theft and refund fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot. “The strategy will not change. Anyone that engages in similar schemes will face similar consequences.”
In addition to her 51-month prison term, Ford was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay full restitution. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Auburn Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd A. Brown.
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- 16 Indicted in Texas Bank Fraud Ring: $1.3M Losses · Alabama
- Alabama State Worker Nabbed in Tax Fraud Scheme · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Alabama
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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