阿拉巴马州Mobile报税行6人被起诉：9000多份假申报索赔逾1.77亿美元、已发约8100万美元
美国司法部阿拉巴马南区检察官办公室宣布，一份起诉书指控阿拉巴马州莫比尔县 Mobile 的 6 名报税从业人员参与税务诈骗：涉案报税行在约 2021 年至 2024 年间提交 9,000 多份虚假联邦报税表，索赔退税逾 1.77 亿美元，其中约 8,100 万美元已经发出。6 人均被控电汇诈骗共谋，目前均为被控状态、尚未定罪。
据起诉书，47 岁的 Jennifer Beverly 经营 JB Accounting Tax Service LLC，该行约 2022 年至 2024 年在 Mobile 提供报税服务；其雇员 Jadasha Bowman（28 岁）、Kennedy Lawrence Stovall Winston（42 岁）、Solida Lucille Green（36 岁）、Paris Lovett（又名 Paris Johnson，30 岁）与 Shermeka Benjamin（38 岁）同列被告。
检方指，被告在报税表中虚报多项内容，包括 Schedule C 经营报表、新冠相关抵免、燃油税抵免、抵免偿还、预估税款、Schedule A 与 Schedule 3 报表以及教育抵免，以此为客户骗取不应得的退税。
除共谋罪外，各被告另被控数量不等的电汇诈骗罪：Beverly 63 项、Bowman 11 项、Winston 5 项、Green 11 项、Lovett 11 项、Benjamin 4 项。起诉书还包含没收通知，涉及代表各被告被指非法所得的金钱判决，以及属于一名或多名被告的 12 处房产。定罪后各人将面临与所控罪名相应的监禁、监督释放、罚款、特别评估与赔偿。
国税局刑事调查局 IRS-CI 亚特兰大外勤办公室代理特别探员主管 Maisha Horton 表示，报税从业人员受托处理敏感财务信息，有责任维护税制诚信；联邦调查局 FBI Mobile 外勤办公室主管 Christopher R. Flowers 表示，两机构合作追查此类骗局。此案是司法部全国诈骗执法部门与国税局、国税局刑事调查局及 FBI 联合打击税务诈骗行动的一部分。
起诉书仅为指控，全部被告在法庭证明有罪之前均推定无罪。
Six Mobile Tax Preparers Indicted in Alabama: 9,000 False Returns Sought Over $177 Million, About $81 Million Paid Out
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Alabama announced an indictment charging six tax preparers in Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, in an alleged tax fraud scheme: from about 2021 through 2024 the defendants allegedly filed more than 9,000 fraudulent federal tax returns seeking more than $177 million in refunds, of which approximately $81 million was issued. All six are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
According to the indictment, Jennifer Beverly, 47, owned and operated JB Accounting Tax Service LLC, which provided tax preparation services in Mobile from about 2022 through 2024. Her employees Jadasha Bowman, 28; Kennedy Lawrence Stovall Winston, 42; Solida Lucille Green, 36; Paris Lovett, also known as Paris Johnson, 30; and Shermeka Benjamin, 38, are also charged.
Prosecutors allege the returns falsely claimed items including Schedule C statements, COVID-19 credits, fuel tax credits, credit repayments, estimated tax payments, Schedule A and Schedule 3 statements, and education credits.
In addition to the conspiracy count, Beverly is charged with 63 counts of wire fraud, Bowman with 11, Winston with five, Green with 11, Lovett with 11, and Benjamin with four. The indictment includes a forfeiture notice covering money judgments and 12 real properties belonging to one or more of the defendants. Upon conviction, the defendants face imprisonment, supervised release, fines, special assessments, and restitution as authorized by law.
Maisha Horton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation's Atlanta Field Office, said tax return preparers are entrusted with sensitive financial information and must uphold the integrity of the tax system. Christopher R. Flowers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Mobile Field Office, said the coordinated arrests reflect the partnership between the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. The case is part of enforcement efforts led by the Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division, the IRS, and IRS-CI, in collaboration with the FBI.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：阿拉巴马州 Mobile 市中心天际线（资料图）。照片：经 Wikimedia Commons，开放授权。 / Photo: Downtown Mobile, Alabama skyline (file photo), via Wikimedia Commons under an open license.
