Florida Resident Convicted for Interfering with the IRS and Filing False Tax Returns

Roanne Eye , 57, of Plantation, Fla., was found guilty of tax charges late Thursday after a four-day jury trial, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Eye was convicted interference with the administration of Internal Revenue laws and of filing false individual income tax returns.

According to evidence presented at trial, Eye attempted to obstruct and interfere with the administration of the laws and regulations of the IRS by telling her employer not to comply with IRS notices and by submitting IRS forms falsely claiming she was exempt from income tax withholding. Eye failed to file timely income tax returns for tax years 1996 and 1999 -2005, even after she received notices that her taxes were due. In March 2006, Eye filed tax returns for 1996 and 1999 - 2005, all claiming refunds to which she was not entitled. She subsequently filed a fraudulent return for tax year 2006. In total, Eye falsely claimed more than $1 million in fraudulent refunds.

In addition to filing the fraudulent income tax returns, Eye flooded IRS offices throughout the United States and Puerto Rico with frivolous letters challenging the authority of the IRS to collect taxes from her.

Sentencing has been scheduled for April 26, 2012, before U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn.  At sentencing, Eye faces a statutory maximum prison sentence of up to three years in prison on the interference charge and up to five years in prison on the false claims charge. 

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John A. DiCicco, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Jose A. Gonzalez, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), announced the conviction.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the agents of the IRS for their hard work in this matter.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keene and Matthew Mueller of the Tax Division.