Two women were recently arrested in connection with alleged tax fraud that apparently stemmed from a local tax office. The Georgia women were arrested on criminal charges of fraud and computer forgery for supposed tax-related crimes that may have dated back to 2011. Reportedly, one of the two appears to have been in trouble with the police before.
The women in question worked as tax preparers at a local office at the time that the fraud is alleged to have happened. Authorities say that the she and another woman created and submitted falsified W-2 forms and tax returns to the Georgia Department of Revenue in order to receive refunds. Refunds were issued to multiple personal and business accounts that were held in the name of the women.
Upon her arrest, one woman was charged with over 100 counts of tax fraud. A subsequent search of her house apparently revealed multiple firearms as well as drugs in one of the bedrooms. As she apparently has a previous felony conviction, she is not legally permitted to own firearms. She was additionally charged with drug possession for marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine.
The charges against both Georgia women appear to be quite detailed. Aside from the initial criminal charges, they each face varying counts of forgery, computer theft and attempting to commit a crime. As one of the two is a convicted felon, a subsection conviction has the potential to seriously alter the course of her future. She and her criminal defense will likely undertake a careful review of the charges she faces as her preliminary hearing approaches in order to make the most informed decision possible to fight for a favorable outcome.
Source: Henry Daily Herald, “Tax preparer faces new charges“, Kathy Jefcoats, May 9, 2014
