PALMDALE FOUR ACCUSED IN PLOT TO DEFRAUD IRS.Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer PALMDALE - Four Palmdale residents are among 11 Californians accused of cheating the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. government out of $1.9 million by filing fraudulent tax returns with fake W-2 forms W-2 Form The form that an employer must send to an employee and the IRS at the end of the year. The W-2 form reports an employee's annual wages and the amount of taxes withheld from his or her paycheck. . The 11 are suspected of participating in a ring that federal investigators say filed more than 450 false tax returns claiming about $3.5 million in refunds. The Internal Revenue Service launched an investigation before issuing all of the checks, a federal attorney said. "The IRS An abbreviation for the Internal Revenue Service, a federal agency charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing internal revenue laws. actually issued checks for $1.9 million," Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas D Thomas D. (born Thomas Dürr, December 30 1968 in Ditzingen close to Stuttgart, Germany) is a rapper in the German hip hop group Die Fantastischen Vier. He frequently works on solo projects. Life After finishing Realschule he took on an apprenticeship as a barber. . Coker said. Coker said he didn't know how the money was spent. Investigators said the scheme was carried out from 2001 to 2003 with counterfeit W-2 forms from fictitious employers reporting fake wages and withholding. The forms were sent in with false income tax returns to claim refunds, officials said. Accused of being the ringleader ring·lead·er n. A person who leads others, especially in illicit or informal activities. ringleader Noun a person who leads others in illegal or mischievous actions Noun 1. , Mervin Butler of Palmdale faces 10 counts of conspiring to defraud To make a Misrepresentation of an existing material fact, knowing it to be false or making it recklessly without regard to whether it is true or false, intending for someone to rely on the misrepresentation and under circumstances in which such person does rely on it to his or the government by filing false income tax returns and W-2 forms. In a federal grand jury indictment handed up on March 29, he also was charged with 30 counts of submitting false claims for income tax refunds. A Lynwood man identified as George Allan George Allan may refer to:
Nine other people - including a U.S. Navy sailor and two other Palmdale residents, as well as residents of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , Long Beach, Victorville, Compton and El Sobrante - were accused of providing Butler with dozens of names and Social Security numbers. Investigators said Butler, Smith and a third man had control over addresses to which tax refunds were sent, including post office boxes listed in financial-firm names. Butler, who remains in federal custody, faces up to 250 years in prison and a $10 million fine if convicted of all counts, officials said. Most of the other defendants were released on bail or on their promise to appear for hearings. The sailor is in Navy custody. An IRS spokesman declined specifics on what aroused suspicion, but said investigators typically look for tax returns sharing common features, such as the same refund address or the same employer. Frequently, false W-2 forms report a fairly low income, and the applicants apply for the earned-income tax credit in addition to seeking funds supposedly withheld, IRS special agent Patrick Caruth said. |
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