Alabama Tax Preparer Charged with Tax Fraud and Identity Theft

WASHINGTON – An Elmore County, Ala., tax return preparer was indicted in the Middle District of Alabama for tax fraud and identity theft, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Sharon D. Thurman, who owned and operated "Sharon’s Tax Services," was charged with 14 counts of making false claims for tax refunds, two counts of aggravated identity theft and two counts of theft of government money.

According to the indictment, Thurman knowingly used the name and Social Security number of individuals to steal tax refunds from the IRS. The indictment further alleges that Thurman sought at least $53,548 in fraudulent tax refunds from the IRS during the 2007 tax year.

An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Thurman faces a maximum of 94 years in prison and a maximum fine of $4 million.

The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Tax Division Trial Attorney Justin K. Gelfand and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Stump.

More information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division and its enforcement efforts is available at www.usdoj.gov/tax/.