Former State of Alabama Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Identities from State Databases that were used to Request over $7 Million in Tax Refunds

Montgomery, Alabama - Tamika Floyd (30), a resident of Salem, Ala., pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of aggravated identity theft for her involvement in a Stolen Identity Tax Refund Scheme (SIRF), announced Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ronald A. Cimino of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama.

According to court documents, between 2006 and 2014, Floyd worked at two different state agencies located in Opelika, Alabama. At both jobs, she had access to identification information for numerous individuals. Beginning in 2012, Floyd was approached about getting the names and other information of individuals from her employer to be used to file false tax returns. Floyd agreed to steal the names and then provide them to a co-conspirator. Most of the names stolen were of teenagers. Using the information provided by Floyd, her co-conspirators filed over 3,000 fraudulent federal income tax returns that claimed over $7.5 million in refunds.

A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Floyd faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States count, and a mandatory sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. She is also subject to a fine of up to $250,000.00 in addition to restitution.

The case was investigated by special agents of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorney Michael Boteler of the Department's Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Todd Brown of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/tax

PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: usaalm.press@usdoj.gov
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