Dallas Woman Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison For Defrauding the IRS with an Aggravated Identity Theft Scheme

DALLAS — Alicia Gardner, 43, of Dallas, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to 24 months in federal prison for aggravated identify theft, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Gardner pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft. Judge Fitzwater ordered Gardner to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on June 20, 2017. Gardner was also ordered to pay $384,391.99 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

According to documents filed in her case, from approximately January 11, 2013 to March 1, 2013, Gardner knowingly and intentionally participated in a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). More specifically, Gardner electronically filed tax returns for the tax year 2012 with her EFIN under taxpayers’ names and social security numbers without the taxpayers’ knowledge or consent. At her consent, the IRS issued refund checks to her as opposed to the unsuspecting taxpayers. Some of those checks were in the taxpayer’s names. Gardner and/or her unindicted coconspirator then proceeded to forge the signatures of the taxpayers on the refund checks and cash them. For instance, on November 11, 2013, Gardner electronically submitted a tax return with a refund request of $1,112 for K.V., without K.V.’s knowledge or consent. Gardner then endorsed and cashed the refund check.

The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wirmani prosecuted.

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