United States Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña
Northern District of Texas

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO OWNED AND OPERATED
A TAX PREPARATION BUSINESS IN TARRANT COUNTY,
ADMIT CONSPIRING TO DEFRAUD THE U.S.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Sanford Taylor Hobbs, III, and his wife, Crystal La Von Mason-Hobbs, have each pleaded guilty in federal court in Fort Worth to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by impeding, impairing and obstructing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in determining, computing, assessing and collecting clients’ income taxes. According to the indictment filed in the case, they owned and operated CMH Enterprise, also known as CMH Tax and Notary Service, located in Everman, Texas. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Sanford Hobbs pleaded guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge John McBryde and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2012. Crystal Mason-Hobbs pleaded guilty on November 23, 2011, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2012. They each face a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution.

According to the factual resume filed in the case for Mason-Hobbs, she and Sanford Hobbs prepared and filed income tax returns, for tax years 2005-2008, with Schedule C business income and expenses for businesses that did not exist, exemptions and credits for fictitious dependents, falsely claimed earned -income and education credits and various other false statements — all with the intent of fraudulently inflating the tax refunds claimed on behalf of clients taxpayers. According to Sanford Hobbs’ factual resume, he agreed to assist her in the scheme.

IRS-Criminal Investigation is in charge of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Gulde is prosecuting.

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