CHICAGO, IL – On April 10, 2024, Willis Patton, 43, of Woodridge, was arrested by IRS agents for allegedly using stolen identities to fraudulently claim and obtain tax refunds based on fictitious returns.
Patton, along with Stevie Shelton, 54, of Chicago, and Kenya Bond, 35, of Chicago, were charged with six counts of wire fraud, with each count carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2024, alleged that Bond misappropriated the names, social security numbers, and dates of birth of 29 patients of the suburban Woodridge dentist’s office where she worked, and provided the identity information to Patton for a fee.
Patton then used this information to file 173 fictitious tax returns for 2011 that contained false information about income, tax withholdings, and supporting documents. He directed the IRS to send electronic tax refunds to bank accounts controlled by Shelton and other individuals, with Patton allegedly controlling these bank accounts and recruiting Shelton and others to open and maintain them in their names for Patton to obtain tax refunds.
The scheme allegedly resulted in false tax refunds of over $350,000, with Patton receiving approximately $180,000 in false tax refunds, including $67,000 that was electronically transferred into accounts maintained by Shelton.
Patton and Shelton were both ordered to remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing at 2 p.m. Thursday before Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown in U.S. District Court.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Romero.
Related Federal Cases
- William M. Mahon, Falsifying Bank Records and Tax Evasion, Illinois 2017 · Illinois
- Joseph J. Cipolla Jr, Tax Evasion, Illinois 2023 · Illinois
- Dr. Robert B. Sperrazza, Tax Evasion and Currency Structuring, Georgia 2013 · Florida
- Lamarion Shanes, Making a False Claim for a Federal Tax Refund, Illinois 2015 · Illinois
- James Grimes, Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion, Pennsylvania 2023 · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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