Stolen Identity Tax Refund Scheme Will Result in Jail Time

Monique Ellis, of Antioch, TN was convicted by a federal jury of eight counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for filing false tax returns.  In 2012, Ellis used stolen ID’s, including ones of prisoners at the Alabama Department of Corrections and to file tax returns with the IRS.  The fraudulent refunds were directed to a bank account of Ellis’.  The tax loss to the IRS amounted to $121,851. Ellis is schedule to be sentenced in Jan. 2018 where she could face up to 20 years for each count, in addition to restitution and monetary penalties.