West Virginia man sentenced in Federal court for filing fraudulent tax returns

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A West Virginia man who filed numerous false federal tax returns was sentenced today to 19 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Booth Goodwin. Michael Jarrell, 40, of Hurricane, West Virginia, previously pleaded guilty on July 8, 2015, to one count of filing a false tax return in the name of a family member without authorization. At the plea hearing, Jarrell also admitted that he had filed false tax returns from 2007 through 2011 in the names of 11 other relatives, neighbors and friends without their authorization. In total, Jarrell filed 12 false tax returns, seeking tax refunds of nearly $120,000.  Jarrell was paid $67,968 in tax refunds to which he was not entitled. In addition to the prison term, Jarrell was ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for the full amount of the fraudulent tax refunds he received.

The Internal Revenue Service conducted the investigation as part of its Stolen Identity Refund Fraud initiative.  Assistant United States Attorney Eumi Choi handled the prosecution.

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