A Benton County woman has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after confessing to a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the IRS.
Senior U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Patricia Jones, 44, of Lamar, to 50 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary. Jones was also ordered to pay $1,422,022 in reparations to the victims.
According to court records, Jones filed false and fraudulent IRS applications requesting Employee Retention Credit funding, a government program designed to assist firms in continuing to pay employees during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Prosecutors claim Jones filed the bogus applications on behalf of herself and others, aiming to get more than $3.8 million in fake tax refunds. The scheme led to the IRS making more than $1.4 million in false payments to Jones and others.
“On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division,” Leary stated in a statement. “Its core mission is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.”
IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of the Atlanta Field Office stated that the punishment reinforces the agency’s commitment to protecting taxpayers and federal relief programs.
“Individuals who cheat the American taxpayer undermine public trust and siphon resources intended to support our communities,” Hardeman stated. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly trained financial investigators, skilled at following the money, uncovering complex fraud schemes, and ensuring that individuals who attempt to cheat the American taxpayer are held fully accountable.”
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clay Dabbs.
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