Gaffney Man Guilty of Stealing $220,000 of Government Funds

Columbia, South Carolina –------- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that James Littlejohn, age 66, of Gaffney, South Carolina, pled guilty on April 24, 2018, to two counts of theft of United States government funds in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.  The plea was taken by Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., who will sentence Littlejohn at a later date.  The possible sentence on each count is imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine of $250,000.00.

At the guilty plea hearing the Court was advised of the following facts.  In February 2013 the Internal Revenue Service received two Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns bearing Mr. Littlejohn’s name, address and Social Security Number.  Each showed a large income with various deductions entitling Mr. Littlejohn to a refund for tax year 2011 of $98,261.44 and a refund for tax year 2012 of $122,696.56.  Two checks in these amounts were sent to Mr. Littlejohn who cashed same and converted the funds to his own use.  It was later learned that the Form 1040’s were bogus and that Mr. Littlejohn was not entitled to the claimed refunds.

United States Attorney Drake stated that the case had been investigated and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jaime Raich of the Southern District of Florida and Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the District of South Carolina. 

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