Federal authorities have indicted an Internal Revenue Service tax examiner for allegedly defrauding her employer by filing false tax returns for various taxpayers in the Memphis area.
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee identified the woman as Linda Williams, 52, of Memphis.
Williams claimed more than $500,000 in false deductions for these citizens. Many of them were unaware of the false deductions discovered on their tax returns, the press release said.
“According to the indictment, from 2015 to 2017, Williams executed a scheme to prepare and file false tax returns for friends and family members. The tax returns contained false deductions to inflate taxpayers’ refunds. Specifically, these deductions were pertaining to medical expenses, charitable contributions and business expenses. Williams would then take a portion from the refunds and transfer the funds to her personal bank account,” the press release said.
“Williams was indicted for filing (10) false tax returns. She faces up to three years imprisonment for this offense and a fine in the amount of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.”
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Damon K. Griffin will prosecute, according to the press release.
As The Tennessee Star reported in January, officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee have recently pursued other cases.
Federal officials charged State Sen. Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis), along with two other co-defendants, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Federal officials said the allegations against Robinson pertain to The Healthcare Institute, based in Memphis. Robinson directs the institute, which trains people in the healthcare field.
THI received more than $10,000 in federal funds each year between 2015 and 2019. During that period, Robinson allegedly stole, converted, and intentionally misapplied property of THI for her own use.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
