Manager Of Check-Cashing Store Pleads Guilty To Participating In Tax Refund Scam

CINCINNATI – Marnay Love, 33, of Cincinnati pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy for her role in a scheme to file fraudulent income tax returns in order to claim tax refunds. Love admitted to assisting in the cashing of at least 43 refund checks worth $84,090.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Denise Rocawich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (IRS), announced the plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Sandra S. Beckwith.

According to court documents, Love worked as manager at ACE Cash Express. Love admitted that she sometimes cashed the checks under account names that did not match the individual on the check. Once cashed, Love took a portion of the refund as a fee and gave the remaining money to co-conspirators.

Conspiracy to defraud the IRS is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, and a mandatory term of supervised release of up to three years.

Love and four others were indicted in January 2013. Charges against the other three are pending.

“The plea agreement attributes the loss to the IRS at $84,090 and the loss to her employer at $17,850,” U.S. Attorney Stewart said. Judge Beckwith will set a date for sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Knight is representing the United States in this case.