TWO
PLEAD GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO FILE FRAUDULENT TAX RETURNS
September 21, 2005
U.
S. Attorney's Office
Northern District of Georgia
75 Spring Street, S.W. - Suite 600
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Tel: 404.581.6000
Fax: 404.581.6181
Northern District of Georgia
75 Spring Street, S.W. - Suite 600
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Tel: 404.581.6000
Fax: 404.581.6181
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, and James D. Vickery, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, announce that JOSEPH MILLIGAN, 36, of New York City, New York, pleaded guilty today to two counts of a federal indictment on charges of conspiring to file fraudulent claims against the United States and fraudulently using Social Security numbers. RAE BEAVERS, 35, of St. Louis, Missouri, entered a guilty plea to the same two counts on July 28, 2005. According to Nahmias and the documents and information presented in court:
MILLIGAN and BEAVERS both worked at Eye Consultants of Atlanta, P.C. MILLIGAN was employed as a patient account representative, and BEAVERS was employed as a switchboard operator. Beginning around January 2002, MILLIGAN and BEAVERS stole the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of elderly patients of Eye Consultants of Atlanta. They provided that information to Terrence Edwards, who used it to file fraudulent federal income tax returns over the Internet. (Edwards pleaded guilty to conspiracy to file fraudulent claims, and he was sentenced to 30 months in prison on August 10, 2004.) Each fraudulent tax return claimed that a refund was due, and along with these returns Edwards would file for a refund anticipation loan from Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. In July 2002, MILLIGAN began working for Greenville Radiology, P.A., in Greenville, South Carolina. From his new job, MILLIGAN compiled additional lists of elderly patients' names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for Edwards' use. Edwards paid MILLIGAN between $200 and $500 for each list of patient identity information. When filing the fraudulent tax returns, Edwards used BEAVERS' Internet accounts, and he directed Santa Barbara Bank & Trust to deposit some refund anticipation loans into her bank account. BEAVERS also worked with Edwards to forge a signature on and negotiate an income tax refund check in the amount of $26,355.65. Edwards filed the last fraudulent tax return in January 2003. Through MILLIGAN's and BEAVERS' participation in the conspiracy, Edwards filed approximately 70 returns that falsely claimed refunds in excess of $200,000.
United States Attorney David E. Nahmias stated, "These defendants engaged in a particularly mean form of tax fraud, choosing their victims because they were elderly. JOSEPH MILLIGAN's and RAE BEAVERS' guilty pleas bring a measure of justice to the victims, and reaffirm our commitment to vigorously prosecuting tax fraud."
MILLIGAN and BEAVERS could each receive a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 1, 2005, at 9:30 a.m., before United States District Judge Richard W. Story.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Paul Jones is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-me-us), United States Attorney or Charysse L. Alexander, Chief, Public Corruption and Government Fraud, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.