Man Sentenced for Filing False Tax Returns

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on August 28, 2015, United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Joshua Miles, to five years’ probation with conditions that he serve 12 consecutive weekends in jail.  Mr. Miles was also ordered to pay $56,508 in restitution, jointly and severally with co-defendant Magalita Gelin.  A similar sentenced was previously imposed on Gelin on May 11, 2015.

From February, 2009, until August, 2010, Magalita Gelin and Joshua Miles electronically filed fraudulent tax returns for a number of people and received refunds from these bogus returns.  People who were generally not previously known to Miles and Gelin went to the Miles-Gelin residence in Bellevue, Nebraska, and had the bogus tax returns prepared and filed.  Some individuals in whose names returns were filed were jail inmates where Miles worked.  The bogus tax returns were false in a number of respects, including:  (1) the returns claimed the taxpayer had worked, typically at Wendy’s, Burger King, Walmart, or Omaha Steaks, when no such employment occurred, and the corresponding W2 reflected income and taxes withheld, figures which were similarly false; and (2) sometimes there was a claim of exemption for non-existent dependents.

A total of approximately 31 false tax returns were filed claiming refunds totaling approximately $111,444.00, which in turn caused the Internal Revenue Service to make tax refund payments to Gelin and Miles totaling approximately $56,508.00.

“Manipulating our nation’s tax system victimizes all honest law-abiding citizens,” said Sybil A. Smith, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, St. Louis Field Office.

This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.