Trio Pleads Guilty To Filing Fraudulent Claims For Federal Income Tax Refunds

DAYTON, OHIO – Saleen M. Nolan, 26 of Dayton, Ohio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims for federal income tax refunds with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Nolan faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office and Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, Cleveland, Ohio announced the guilty plea entered yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon L. Ovington.

According to court documents, between March 2008 and March 2009 Nolan, a VA employee, participated in a conspiracy to obtain personal identifying information, including dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and addresses from individuals who lived in the Dayton, Ohio area. Nolan used this personal identification information to fraudulently prepare and submit to the IRS false income tax returns in the names of dozens of other individuals. Each of these income tax returns falsely claimed that the purported taxpayer was entitled to a substantial income tax refund from the IRS. 

In filing these false claims for income tax refunds, as well as checking on the status of the income tax refunds, Nolan used a government computer that belonged to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Nolan kept a portion of the fraudulent income tax refunds and provided the remainder to the taxpayer identified on the fraudulent income tax return.

Nolan was released on bond pending sentencing. A date for sentencing has not yet been set.

On August 15, 2013 Ebony F. Taste, 27, of Trotwood, Ohio pleaded guilty to one count of one count of conspiracy to file false claims for federal income tax refunds with the IRS. Between March 2008 and March 2009 Taste participated in a conspiracy to obtain personal identifying information, including dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and addresses from individuals who lived in the Dayton, Ohio area. Taste used this personal identification information to fraudulently prepare and submit to the IRS false income tax returns in the names of dozens of other individuals. Each of these income tax returns falsely claimed that the purported taxpayer was entitled to a substantial income tax refund from the IRS.  Taste kept a portion of the fraudulent income tax refund and provided the remainder to the taxpayer identified on the fraudulent income tax return.

On August 15, 2013 Jazmen Yates, 30, of Galloway, Ohio pleaded guilty to one count of filing false claims for federal income tax refunds with the IRS. In February 2009 Yates knowingly submitted a false and fraudulent claim for an income tax refund to the IRS in excess of several thousand dollars by filing a false income tax return with the IRS in her name that she knew contained falsely inflated income and taxes she allegedly paid to the IRS during the 2008 income tax year.

Taste and Yates pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Black and they both remain on bond pending sentencing which has been scheduled for December 5, 2013.

Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office stated, “The object of this refund fraud scheme was to swindle the government and the taxpaying public. In this case IRS Criminal Investigation and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs identified, investigated and vigorously prosecuted those who were involved in filing false claims for refunds.”

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Tabacchi and investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.